


Red and Miru's World

by miru3



Category: Sebastian Stan - Fandom
Genre: Miru/Author - Freeform, Other, Red - Freeform, Sebastian Stan - Freeform, friends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2020-03-26 11:56:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 62,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19005313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miru3/pseuds/miru3





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Miru and Red met through a Facebook group for fans of "the now famous actor" Sebastian Stan (Seb). Besides being Seb fans, they had lots in common with each other. Both had autism, anxiety, major stress levels from bullying, especially cyberbullying lately, and hard lives outside of social media and public with things at home and how they lived and were even treated at times by some family members. But they also had a couple different things about each other too, cause it had been harder times for Red. 

Red lived homeless for a long time because she couldn't afford housing, where Miru lived with her family her whole life, but got treated badly, especially when Miru was diagnosed with autism, mostly by her older sister and mother. Nobody understood Miru or even listened to Miru or anything, except for friends, especially ones just like her, including Red. Red and Miru became best friends, in fact, more like sisters even, and both got approved for SSI and looked into plans to get out of their troubles and into a place of their own, and then go to a comic con together someday to meet Seb, if he was to be there. 

Other than a place of their own, they had all their dreams and plans made and ready to go, but then it all changed instantly in the blink of an eye. At least for Miru. Miru's older sister changed from who she and her family thought she was since going to college, and made it out like it was her that was treated wrong instead of Miru, and ran off one day out of the blue with a guy she met through Tumblr, and ripped Miru and the family apart and everything. 

Miru was pissed, and went and told her new best friend Red, through text message, that she now couldn't leave anytime soon, but would still do her best to help look for a place for them so they could move. Miru wanted so badly to be free to do what she wanted and everything.

"Why? What's wrong? What happened?" Red texted back.

Miru texted Red everything she knew about the situation with her older sister. Red couldn't believe any of this either and felt so bad for her best friend. Miru didn't know how she was gonna get what she wanted to bring with her for Seb, if she ever got to meet him, to him now, until Red suggested on Miru sending it all to her, so she could put it all in a binder with stuff she was gonna give him in October at the Fandemic in Houston, Texas, USA of that year. 

"Really?" Miru asked. "That would be awesome Red! Thank you!"

"No problem." Red answered.

Miru worked for months on end to get the stuff for Seb ready to go, but got behind on finishing a written and fixed up copy of her Marvel fanfic "My Boo Bear Bucky" do to trying to help fix up her mom's house to get a better price for selling it someday, and getting a bad case of the stomach flu back at her birthday. Miru knew she still had time before it was the September deadline, but still felt so bad for getting behind on the work she had been doing. Then Miru wrote Seb a letter to go with the stuff explaining why it was sent with her best friend, and not brought in person. Miru cried as she typed the letter.

"Dear Sebastian (Seb),  
I'm so sorry. I planned to finally be here this weekend with my best friend, but do to a BIG family situation, I couldn't make it. But I don't intend to give up. One day I will try to see you." 

Miru finished the letter and texted a screenshot of it to Red to show her, and ask her what she thought of how it was written. Red loved it and asked if she could add to it about the times recently when they were cyberbullied. Miru accepted and added to the letter quickly.

"P.S. You may already know about most of the problems from Red..."

Miru got to the last cyberbullying incident that they knew of and stopped for awhile cause she couldn't think of what else to say yet, and then got busy helping more on what she could with the work on the house. In between all that, Red said that there was a bit more that Miru could use, out of the info Red found, that had to deal with the cyberbullying, to help her finish the letter when she got back to it again. 

"Awesome! Thanks Red!" Miru answered.

"You're welcome Miru!" Red texted back. "How about making a note too, to let him know to read the letter first and such?"

"I can do that!" Miru said.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Miru finally got everything but the letter and note ready to go by the time June arrived. Now she just had to get it all into an envelope and get the note ready along with them, and get the envelope ready to go. Once she was done with all that, she would show Red and ask for her address, and then work on the letter, all while continuing to look for a place for them, and help out her favorite hockey team, and favorite baseball player, all in the process, like always. 

Miru's team and baseball player had been worried about her since the end of November when they realized something was wrong, after sending them a text message saying that "she was sick" and wasn't coming. They knew something was up after that when Miru hardly showed up for anything with them at all, and wouldn't say an excuse. They knew about the problems, and what Miru had been doing for months, but they didn't know everything changed, and that her plans were ruined. The baseball player, named Neil Walker, came over for a little bit, when nobody in Miru's family were home, and asked what had been going on for months.

"Nothing." Miru answered, sounding very depressed.

"Yeah right." Neil Walker replied. "Sadly you can't fool me. Now what's been going on little missy?"

Miru sighed and finally let it all out about everything that happened. Walker couldn't believe it either. Miru said that she and her best friend Red were still looking for a house regardless. 

"I wanna move out so bad. I just can't take it anymore. It's just down right pathetic what I go through. My best friend Red can't believe this either and she's had hard times too. We both just want out of our lives and somewhere together on our own." Miru said as she cried and cried.

"It is awful." Walker said as he tried to comfort Miru. "You really need to tell the team about this too. They're all just as worried sick about you."

"Okay." Miru sniffed. "Let's go."

Walker took Miru to Cranberry to the hockey team's practice facility, where they were, training for the next season, even though they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The team was surprised and went racing for them when they walked into the gym area.

"Where in the world have you been young lady?" The captain of the team, named Sidney Crosby, aka Sid, asked.

"Tell them." Walker whispered and nudged Miru.

Miru told the team everything, like she just did a little bit ago with Neil Walker. The team let out hard gasps as she finished with the story and continued to sob. Nobody could believe this.

"Why didn't you just tell us?" Sid finally asked.

"Because I thought you guys would be too worried about me and lose focus, even in practice." Miru sniffed again. "Plus I needed time and actually did get sick back at my birthday. I still would like to move out though."

"We can help you and your best friend Red with getting a place if nothing else." Everyone said.

"Thanks guys." Miru said.

Miru kept looking for housing, and texted screenshots of some homes in Franklin and North Sewickly, Pennsylvania, USA, to Red, to show her what she was finding. Everything was going good and hopefully was going to be fine as well. Once a place was in Red and Miru's hands, they were free. They hoped Seb was gonna be okay after reading the letter and love the rest of their stuff once he received it all.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Weeks later, Miru finally got the note ready and got the stuff ready to send to her best friend Red. The only thing she decided to change her mind about was the fanfic, cause she really wanted to bring that in person, and had just recently started a sequel to the fanfic as well, called "Our New Adventures". Red understood Miru's decision, and let Miru know when she got what was sent to her, for Seb for October. At the end of June, Miru finally went back to getting the letter done and sent to Red's email.

"How's all that work of yours going kiddo?" Sid asked as development camp was starting to get underway.

"Just got the letter finished. Finally. I put about the problems Red asked me to tell him about first, to get all of that out of the way, and then about me, like I originally wrote the letter, explaining why I'm not there, and about why my stuff for him was with Red instead. So in other cases, I changed the letter up. Made it easier for me. Everything else has been sent out like a week ago." Miru answered.

"Wow, so you really have been working hard with all of this, haven't you?" Sid asked.

"Yup." Miru smiled and then sighed as she put her stuff away. 

Then Sid saw she still had the fanfic with her and asked about it. Miru said that she changed her mind about it and that she really wanted to bring it with her in person someday instead, and that she had a sequel for it in progress to begin with too, and showed him both stories. Everyone loved the stories.

"How's the housing search going?" The team asked.

"Still looking. So is Red." Miru sighed. 

"You're telling your story too?" One of the other players, named Jake Guentzel, asked as they saw more of what Miru had with her.

"Yeah." Miru answered. "Sorry it's so sad right now Jake. But that's how tough life has been for us."

"It's okay." Jake said. "At least October is off your chest now unless you need more for it again. And we'll do what we can to help with everything else."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Red and Miru texted each other every single day, whenever they could. Otherwise they tried to relax, and take a break from social media, mostly Instagram, cause of everything that happened. Somedays, here and there, since mid to late June, Miru would get notifications from Facebook and Instagram, that said about people liking her photos from the house repairs to her Mom's house, that had already been done so far, which were only the porch and back door. They were waiting now to hopefully get a loan from the bank, so they could get the Amish that helped them, to come back and finish with everything else they wanted done, that they could do for them, and finally succeeded in doing it all. All they needed now was a free schedule to get them started on finishing the work.

Miru got a "Thank you" note ready to go, to give to the Amish when they came back, and probably when they were finished, and wanted to get them donuts or something like that too, as a "Thank you", and to make up for the long day of overtime with the backdoor project, cause they hadn't eaten yet at the time when they were done with it, or when working on it. Only her grandma, that she knew of so far, knew about the "Thank you" note, but every time she mentioned the food idea to go with it, she got told "NO!!!!", mostly by her mom, and that the money was enough. It wasn't enough to her. Miru's team and baseball player, and another friend of hers, all thought it was a good idea, and so did Red, but her family thought otherwise unfortunately.

Miru thought about telling the Amish her kind thought when they came back, especially if they would ask if something was bothering her or something, but wasn't sure how she would word it to them. She did want to say about using a latter to get on and off the roof when doing it too, since the one scared her when doing roof measurements without using a latter, especially when he got down off the roof, and so they were safe and didn't get hurt, let alone as easily. Her family said that they didn't think so either. She was never, and still wasn't allowed, to do or say anything she wanted. She wanted so badly to be free. 

"I so can't wait for the day to come when I'm finally free!!!!" Miru said out loud to herself as she stormed off to her room after the day was over. "At least I'm allowed to sneak a very nice "Thank you" note behind your back that only Grandma, so far anyway, knows about!!!! I got lucky with that Mom!!!! If only y'all would give in with whatever else and let me do what I wish too!!!!" 

Miru was so mad with her life, and always seemed like she would be, until she was finally free. Her friends, and Red, agreed with her and what she thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Shockingly, life had finally settled some for Miru, but she still got treated like shit by everyone, and made out as a bitch, and bullied, and everything else by family members, at some point, no matter what, even though it had calmed down a little bit. Sid came over for a little while, on the last Monday of July, to check up on her, and ended up staying very well into the evening, and witnessed more of the problems with her family. He'd seen and heard about quite a few of the issues, but didn't know it had gone this far. When Miru was practically almost in tears again, he spoke up and told her family that enough was enough, especially when they "claimed" that it was Miru, and it never was her at all

"Come on Miru. Let's go and start getting your stuff packed up." Sid said as he took her hand and got her out of her grandparents house after telling the family off. They walked 3 houses down the street to Miru's house and got started, starting with the clothes.

"Thanks Sid." Miru sighed.

"No problem kiddo." Sid replied as he rubbed her right arm from her shoulder on down to her wrist. "It's okay."

"Just wish the house was mine, especially now, after everything. And I wouldn't have to worry about trying to get one anymore, just continue paying the stuff on this one." Miru sniffed. "Cause yes I grew up here, so it is home, and I don't wanna leave it and such, but I don't wanna be around them anymore either."

"I understand." Sid said as he hugged Miru. "This house will be yours someday. At least you can finally do something for the Amish crew, that helped you in return now, by just doing chocolate chip cookies made from scratch at your grandparents house."

"I just have to make sure when they come again that they like them first though, just to be safe." Miru muffled into Sid's shirt.

"Might as well." Sid replied. "And this house will be yours someday. I promise. But for now, you'll stay with me until this place is finally yours." 

"Thank you." Miru sobbed.

"You're welcome." Sid said.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After Miru's clothes, and some of her decorations, later on, were packed, Miru left her house, with Sid, and headed to Sid's house in Sewickly, Pennsylvania, USA.

"We'll get the rest of your stuff later." Sid said.

"It's fine. No race." Miru smiled. "Thanks, for this."

"No problem Miru." Sid smiled back. "How you feeling from lifting that bear that you helped your mom get for the front porch into the house for the time being?"

"Like someone beat me up and yanked on at least my arms too hard and overstretched them. My right shoulder and wrist, mostly my shoulder, are cramping really bad right now too, and won't stop cramping, and I've tried painkillers when hurting too bad, but even now, especially with that, doing that doesn't seem to be helping." Miru sighed as she tried rubbing her arm.

"Thaaaaat's not good." Sid replied. "Once we get your stuff in and get you settled, I'll get you an ice pack and then after that we'll try a heating pad, and if none of that helps, I'm calling a chiropractor for you."

"Deal." Miru said.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Friday of that week finally came, when the one that's the boss, and the driver, from the repair crew, came back to talk to Miru and her mom, about a couple extra projects that they decided to add to the rest of the house work, and when they would be getting started with it, which was Monday the 12th of August 2019, and that they'd be there through Friday of the following week when working. 

Miru didn't catch everything from the start, cause of finishing up dishes, but once she was done, she headed outside to talk and such with them and her mom. Miru's mom, later in the conversation, thought it would be best, if they could move the equipment, that had come already, into the garage, and had Miru get the key to unlock it. 

Miru got the key to the garage, went and unlocked it, and helped the Amish guy and his driver move it all into the garage, to be nice to her new friends, plus she was having fun with it too, especially when she accidentally hit the clothesline, that ran from the back edge of the house on up to the garage, and snapped it in the process, and had herself and everyone else laughing. Miru didn't mean to do that with the clothesline, but it was also old, dry-rotted, and never used at all, other than for specific things, and being taken down anyway, so the crew could put new siding on the house, with the rest of the house repairs that were being done. When they were all done, and Miru's mom finally went back into the house, Miru pulled the Amish guy aside and asked him if he, his father in law, and his driver, liked chocolate chip cookies.

"Yeah, of course, we'll take some." The Amish guy said and smiled, before finishing up and heading on his way with his driver.

Miru waved goodbye to her new friends, and then headed back into the house and got Dottie, her dog, ready to go 3 houses up the street to her grandparents house, while she and her mom went to run a couple errands. As Miru got Dottie hooked up to the leash, the phone rang. Miru answered on the second ring.

"Hello." Miru answered sounding enthused.

"Did the guy get his tape measure from in front of your garage?" Miru's grandma asked. "Your grandpa was curious."

"Um, I thought he had it with him, but I'll go check. Hold on." Miru said and headed for the door.

"Now what?" Miru's mom asked.

"They want me to check real quick and make sure that the guy's tape measure isn't still laying in front of the garage. I'll be right back." Miru answered.

"Oh, alright. Hurry up." Miru's mom replied.

"Ugh." Miru said as she walked out of the house and up to the garage to look around for the guy's tape measure. 

"Do you see the tape measure anywhere?" Miru's grandma asked.

"Well, it's not by the side of the garage that you can see from the house. Let me go up further like I'm gonna unlock the garage and look around for the guy's tape measure there. One sec."

Miru walked towards the garage door. As she got closer to the lock on the garage, she saw that the guy's tape measure was still laying in front of the garage.

"Oh crap!!!!" Miru yelled as she ran and grabbed the tape measure.

"Is it still there?" Miru's grandma asked.

"Yeah, and they literally just left. Oh no!!!! I hope they got a spare one with them if they need it. Pappy would jinx him!!!!" 

"Don't worry, Pappy will call him and let him know that he forgot it and that you found it for him."

"Did you find the guy's tape measure out there?!!!!?" Miru's mom hollered from the house.

"Yeah." Miru said as she held up the tape measure and headed back down the driveway to the house and got ready to go run the errands that needed to be done. "Pappy jinxed him!!!!"

"Technically you jinxed him too you know." Miru's mom replied.

"No I didn't. I knew he had taken it off when we were getting the stuff into the garage, but even when Pappy told him not to forget it, I still thought he picked it up and had it with him in his pocket."

Miru still had the tape measure in her hand as she grabbed Dottie and took her, and now the tape measure too, 3 houses up the street to her grandparents house and then headed out to run the errands that needed to be done real quick. When the errands were done, she headed back to her grandparents house and got Dottie and brought her home, helped get dinner, and then they were on their porch for a bit of the evening when the phone rang again.

"Hello." Miru's mom answered.

"The crew are on their way back with some wood that they forgot they had to get and bring with them when they came earlier." Miru's grandpa said.

"Oh. Okay. Bye." Miru's mom replied and hung up the phone and told Miru what was going on.

After that crazy day was finally over, they impatiently waited for the rest of the house repairs to get started. When Sunday evening came and they were talking about it some more, Miru was told to leave them alone and everything else. Miru freaked out and said that she was gonna stay at the house regardless of what they said to her, so that she could not only make sure they're okay and such in the process of it all, but also so that if they needed her for something like that or whatever, she was right there. Miru texted Red and somewhat vented, but Red understood why. She even agreed that it was obvious that Miru's family doesn't want them to be friends with each other and couldn't understand why either. Monday morning finally came and they got started. But it also became a very crazy day, cause the electrician came too, to finally do some rewiring for outdoor L E D lights. It was a long rough day. Tuesday wasn't a good day either, due to the weather, that the crew didn't even come at all. 

When Wednesday morning came, Miru got up at 6:30 am to be ready for the crew to come, in case they were early, got Dottie to her grandparents house, and sat on the steps of her new porch and waited on them to show. At one point, Miru heard a noise and looked up, only to see that it was an electric company coming up the hill and around and come down the street and stop in the middle of the street. Miru pulled her phone out of her pocket, turned it on to the lock screen and drew her pattern lock to unlock her phone, went to her contact list, and scrolled through it til she got to the Amish guy's number. Miru put his number into her phone over the weekend so that if they needed him for something like that or whatever with the work, someone else was backup to call him. Miru tapped on his name, pressed the call button, and let it start ringing, as she started to shake.

"I can't believe I'm doing this. I hope he picks up. Cause he don't have my number." Miru mumbled to herself as the call clicked on after the second ring.

"Huh?" The Amish guy, named Roman, said as he answered Miru's number.

"Oh crap!" Miru mouthed to herself as she gave Roman dead silence for a bit on the other end.

"Hello?" Roman asked.

"Roman?!!?" Miru asked.

"Yeah."

"It's Miranda." Miru said and giggled a little bit.

"Oh hey. How are you?" Roman asked.

"I'm good." Miru answered as she told him real quick how she even had his number. "You guys are on your way here to continue the work, correct?" 

"Yeah, we're on our way. We were gonna be there in about 7 minutes or so, but where we were at was really busy with traffic and that, so we had to turn around. We're just now heading towards your way."

"Hmm, well, the reason I called, is because, when you guys get closer to the house, you may want to come up the street and park in front of my house cause you can't come up the hill and around and come down the street like you're supposed to, cause I thought at first it was you guys coming, but when I looked up, it was an electric company, and I don't know what they're doing, other than looking at the poles at the moment, but they're sitting in the middle of the street. So my street is blocked at the moment too. So you might wanna do that, cause who knows how long they'll even be here." Miru explained. "And that way you guys don't have to worry about turning around and that again trying to get up here."

"We can do that." Roman said.

"Okay. See you guys in a little bit. Sorry about that and having to call you guys. I didn't know what to do. So, pretty much, I panicked. I'm so sorry." Miru said back.

"No, no. It's okay. Don't worry about it. You don't have to apologize. You actually did the right thing calling us and letting us know about it. Thank you so much for letting us know." Roman said to make Miru feel a little bit better.

"Thanks for that Roman. Appreciate it. See you guys soon. Bye. I'm on the porch steps waiting.

"Okay. Just stay there and we'll see you soon Miranda. Bye bye." 

"Okay, bye."

Miru let out a sigh of relief as she hung up the phone from the call, but continued to shake.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

After the house repair crew arrived at Miru's house, she went to greet them and go get the garage unlocked for them and hit the edge of the cement step below her and almost fell. When she got safely to the bottom of the cement steps and stepped onto the driveway, she tripped and almost fell again. Roman, and his father in law Elmer, rolled down their windows on the truck at the same time, and Roman told her not to fall on his watch.

"Sorry." Miru said as she cringed. "I don't walk too well with my right ankle most days."

"As long as you're okay." Roman laughed, and Miru gave him a thumbs up as she pulled her phone back out. 

"Looks like they're trimming trees." Elmer said as they got out of the truck and headed up the driveway to the garage to get started, while Miru unlocked the garage and started to text her mom, so that her mom knew what was going on, so she could text the boss of their cleaning service, and let her know, so that the lady she was sending, could get notified and know where to go.

"Texting your mom the updates already?" Roman asked after seeing Miru trying to type like crazy on her phone. 

"Yeah." Miru said back as she started shaking again, but really bad this time, compared to before with the call to them. "We're supposed to have a lady from our cleaning service coming pretty soon, and I was letting my mom know about this, so that she could text the boss of the cleaning service, and let her know, so that she could notify the lady she was sending about where to go cause of it. And I have a feeling that she's gonna flip out on me."

"Why are you shaking so much?" Elmer asked. "We haven't even gotten started yet, even on the ladders, and it's not like you're the one on the ladder either."

"Yeah. He's right. So what's wrong? You okay?" Roman said.

"I just have this horrible feeling that my mom's gonna flip out on me. I told her in the process of everything else in the text that I called you guys about the tree trimming going on up the street and to park in front of my house, so she knew everything to tell the boss of the cleaning service. I just have this horrible feeling that she's gonna freak." Miru replied just as the "ding dong" tone for a text/game notification came through on her phone. She clicked the phone onto the lock screen to check what it was, and saw there was a new text message from someone. She dropped it down to check who it was and saw it was her mother. "Speaking of." Miru said.

"Speak of the devil." Roman and Elmer said and giggled as Miru tried not to laugh with them.

"Be right back guys, gotta check if they're finishing up or not. I don't think they are, but my mom of course wants me to make sure." Miru said.

"Take your time. Just be careful down there. Hope she don't flip out on you for that. It was only one time. Not like you're like some of our customers that call all the time." Roman hollered down the driveway to Miru with a smile. "You did the right thing calling us and letting us know about it regardless." 

"Thanks." Miru hollered back as she checked on the tree trimming and went back up to the crew. She read her mother's text on the way down the driveway and then back up to the crew, and sighed. Sure enough she was right about the horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her mother was furious about just one phone call to Miru's new friends, the house repair crew, especially when it was one like this just to help them out. Miru texted her back with the truth and explained, and told her that Roman even told her that she did the right thing calling them and letting them know, same with putting his number into her phone over the weekend so that if they needed him for something like that or whatever with the work, someone else was backup to call him. Her mom didn't wanna hear it, and told her what the boss of the cleaning service said back. Miru sighed and shook even more, and even more worse than she had been the previous 2 times already. Half of it this time was frustration.

"You okay?" Roman and Elmer's driver, named Jim, asked Miru.

Miru told Jim everything she told Roman and Elmer not long ago with texting her mom and about the horrible feeling that her mom would flip out on her, and that she was right, cause her mother did flip out.

"Oh wow." Jim said.

"Yeah." Miru sighed. "This is everyday for me too pretty much. I won't even do anything and I get in trouble. I can't win."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

That day got much crazier the longer it went by. One of the other 2 extra projects, that they decided to add to the rest of the house repairs, happened to be another door at the very back of the house, and they finally heard about a price for it, to get it custom made, and replaced. So Miru was updating her mom about that too, while the crew got started with the roof. 

At one point, Miru's grandpa came to check on them, while Roman got down from the roof and went to double check the measurements for this other door, while talking to the company, called Liberty Roofing, about getting the other door, when he got them called back, and asked Miru if she could get it opened for him, so he could measure for it.

Miru went into the house to the landing of the basement steps, where this door is, and got it unlocked. As she went to grab the doorknob, it swung open at her and about knocked her into the wall and scared her. Roman heard her gasp as he came to start measuring, and asked what happened.

"I think that door is haunted." Miru answered as she tried to catch her breath, and told him what it did when she unlocked it for him. "It tried to kill me!" 

"Aren't you glad you and your mom decided to get it replaced?" Roman asked.

"Uh, huh." Miru said as her breathing finally slowed down some.

"You're not the only one that thought they were gonna die. We tried to kill each other yesterday." Roman said. "We worked on the barn yesterday since we couldn't come cause of the weather, there was a chain on it, we pulled it off, next thing we knew, the barn shifted."

"Aaaaaaah!" Miru squealed in shock.

"Yup. That was us too as we ran outta there as fast as we could, thinking it was gonna come down, especially on top of us. We got out and it never came down. About 10 seconds later, we were laughing." Roman giggled.

"God was watching out for you guys. He told you to get out of there." Miru said.

"He's watching out for you too." Roman said. "He protected you just now with this and kept you from falling down those steps."

"I guess you're right, cause I practically jumped to them other steps to go back up to the kitchen when it happened." Miru said. "Boy was that scary."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Once Roman got the measurements for the other door, he heard Miru's phone ding again with her mother, as he needed in on the landing anyway, to check on the measurements from inside, and started to call Liberty Roofing back. Miru headed back out to check on the tree trimming for her mom again, texted her back the update, went and checked on her grandma, and came back, as her grandpa got her attention for Roman. 

"What's up Roman?" Miru asked while Roman was on hold with Liberty Roofing at the moment.

"Are you willing to pay for this door for us and you and your mom just pay me for installing it?" Roman asked.

"Yeah sure. I can do that for us. We desperately need it. We can do it that way. I'll let my mom know about it after we're good to go though." Miru said.

"Works for me." Roman said back. "You have your debit card with you there too right?"

"It's actually upstairs in my room. Hang on. I'll be right back with it." Miru said with a smile back and started heading to her room as fast as she could walk, before running into one of the kitchen table chairs with her stomach.

"Okay. Take your time." Roman laughed as Miru coughed after running into the chair before running for her room. "You alright?" 

"I'm good. Do it all the time. Used to it." Miru giggled. "My shirts have even gotten caught on them and move them too."

Miru ran up the steps to her room and got her debit card out of her wallet, and went back to Roman, as he was finishing up with his half of the info for this other door, before handing his phone to Miru, so that she could pay for it for them. When she was done, she gave Roman his phone back and let him finish the call, as she went back to her room, to put her debit card back and head back outside, while texting her mom the rest of the updates.

"We good to go?" Miru asked when she got back outside.

"Yup. We're all good." Roman said. "And if it's not right when it comes in, I'm blaming you."

"Hey now!!!!" Miru said as Roman and her grandpa started laughing. "All I did was pay for it! I didn't make it!!"

"So! Gotta blame somebody!" Miru's grandpa said.

"Well, blame Liberty Roofing! Not me!" Miru said.

"Nope! Blaming you!" Roman grinned.

"Oy!" Miru said as she and everyone else laughed.

"Texting Mommy the updates?" Miru's grandpa asked.

"Been doing it since we got here." Roman said as he headed back to continue helping Elmer and Jim with the roof.

"Yup. All day. Since then. Mainly cause of the tree trimming going on, so that she could notify the cleaning service so that they knew where to go too, but been doing it since with everything else too. And she flipped out on me, as I suspected she would." Miru sighed.

"Oh?" Miru's grandpa asked. "About what?"

"Cause I called Roman while they were on their way, to let them know about the tree trimming, so that they knew where to go, cause of the street being blocked. And so that they didn't have to turn around again either, cause he said on the call that where they were at, was really busy with traffic, and that they had to turn around and hit Route 18 to get here. She freaked." Miru said.

"Oh!" Miru's grandpa said as he headed back to his house, and she headed to the hill in the yard that the garage is on and sighed.

"We were having fun a little bit ago!" Miru said to her grandpa as he headed down the driveway, and told him about the water bottle competition between her and Jim, trying to get it to the roof for Roman, and that they ended up breaking the water bottle and had to get another one out of the cooler and trying again.

"Really guys?!!!!?" Miru's grandpa said as he headed home and had them laughing.

"Hey!" Roman hollered to Miru from the roof when turning and seeing her at one point with putting a piece of the new metal roof in place. 

"Yes?" Miru asked as she looked up like nothing was wrong.

"Thank you for paying for this other door for us today!" Roman said. "Appreciate it! But you didn't have to do that!"

"It's okay! No problem! I still need to get my money lowered at the moment anyway, and we desperately need this other door too! I don't care about doing that for us!" Miru said back. "It's fine! No biggie! All we gotta pay you with it is installation now!"

"Yeah, true! But I didn't tell you to do it! And you hadn't even offered to do it either!" Roman hollered back. "Your grandpa suggested it and asked you when you came back!" 

"It's fine!" Miru smiled. "All he had to do was tell me what was going on as to why you wanted me to go get my debit card! Cause I'll do that, pay for something for whatever reason for anybody to help them out like this, as long as I have enough money to do that, which I do right now, and depending on how much the price is for whatever it is that needs paid for! Don't worry about it! It's all good!" 

"Well, thank you!" Roman said.

"No problem!" Miru said as she sighed again.

"Are you okay Miranda?" Roman asked.

"Yeah. My mom's just driving me crazy as usual is all." Miru answered.

"Regretting all these updates you've been giving her since we got here?" Roman giggled, and Miru gave him the "little bit" sign while nodding and letting her mom know how they handled the other door project with the payments. 

Couple hours later, Miru and her new friends decided to take lunch break. Miru went into the house and started getting her lunch when the lady from the cleaning service finally came for the cleaning, on the rescheduled time, while the crew went to get something to eat and do a quick bid for someone else close by. Miru stayed in the house for the longest time, not only to eat her lunch, but to investigate the cleaning for her mom, while giving her updates again, this time about that. The lady, named Jolene, didn't do a very good job, and was only there about an hour/hour and a half, and already downstairs finishing up.

Miru went back outside, to not only get out of the house for a bit again, and out of Jolene's way too, but also to check on her new friends again, since they were back and started to work again. 

"Where were you?" Roman asked jokingly. 

"Well, I ate lunch in the process, but I also was to investigate that mostly, and updating my mom again, but about that this time." Miru replied and pointed to the back door and rolled her eyes and shook her head, just as Jolene was coming out with her cleaning supplies and shook out the kitchen rugs before heading off.

"Is that the lady from the cleaning service you were saying about earlier today?" Roman asked.

"Yup. And she suuuuuuucks." Miru whispered and explained the crappy job she had just done, since Roman asked.

"How long has she been here?" Roman asked.

"Like, about an hour or so, if that." Miru said.

"Oh no no no. That's not how you clean a house, let alone an entire house, and in one day. And you can't do it that good in one day like that and in a length of time like that. There's just no way with any of that." Roman said.

"Pff, try telling her that." Miru smirked. "Guess I know what I'm doing when this is all over. Dusting."

"Go for it." Roman said back as he headed back to the roof. "No one's stopping you."

A little bit later, Roman started teasing Miru again, like he does with everyone, while she was helping Jim so bad with clean up, to the point where she was getting sunburned. 

"Roman, don't make me come up there!" Miru hollered. "Cause for starters, you and I both will regret that!"

"Uh oh! I better be quiet!" Roman grinned.

"Yuppers!" Miru grinned back.

"What do you mean by, "If you come up here", even to help us, "that you'd regret it"?" Roman and Elmer both asked as Elmer climbed down from the roof to get them some more equipment for them.

"Mm, I'm deathly afraid of heights!" Miru hollered back. "I'd go up like 2-4 steps on the ladder and I'd start shaking instantly."

"Shaking?" Elmer asked and made a good shaking demonstration. "You mean like this?" 

"Yup. I'm that afraid of heights!" Miru said.

"Uh oh!" Elmer giggled.

"I guess we're gonna have to find a different route for awhile to get in and out of Ellwood City now." Roman hollered from the roof to Miru and her grandpa. "Koppel Bridge is closed."

"Oh, that's why you guys had to turn around this morning. I was thinking that but wasn't sure." Miru replied.

"Yup that's why." Roman said. "And we knew they were building the new one beside it and that it would be soon probably for that, but dang. And it's a real shame too cause I use that bridge a lot."

"I'm sorry." Miru said.

"Not your fault." Roman said back.

"Yeah, you didn't hear about that on the news Roman?" Miru's grandpa asked.

"They don't have electric!!!!" Miru yelled.

"What about electric?" Roman asked.

Miru's grandpa explained what was said and what Miru said back as he and Jim giggled.

"Well, don't yell at her for yelling that at you, cause she's right! At least with the television half of it!" Roman said and laughed with them. 

A couple minutes later, Miru's grandpa went home for the day, as Miru helped finish with clean up and such, just as her mom came home, and saw Miru was sunburned. Roman ended up having to not only help explain about it, but also defend her to her mother about it, saying that she was fine regardless and a quick one with moving around and such, as they finally called it a day.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The next day, Miru had to be somewhere for quite awhile, along with a small storm in the process later on, that she didn't come back to the house, until they were slowly starting to finish up for the day. Miru's mom asked how the day went and Miru updated her, and said she was gonna be heading down pretty soon anyway. Her mom didn't like that to the point where Miru went off on her about everything, including this. When Miru could finally get to go 3 houses down the street to her house, her new friends saw her coming back and smiled and greeted her from the roof, as she asked how it was going, sounding really down, even as they answered that everything and everyone were fine.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Roman asked.

"Fine. Just getting tired." Miru answered, still sounding the same, but trying not to say anything.

"Okay. Just curious." Roman said, sounding concerned. "We're here for you, and here to help." 

"Thanks guys." Miru sighed, but smiled.

"Ow!" One of the crew members yelled.

"Wow! That's a good one!" Roman hollered. "Hey Miranda?!!? You have a band aid right?"

"Yeah, we keep those as stocked up as possible and got a bunch at the moment!" Miru hollered back. "Why? What did you injure now Roman?" 

"Wasn't me this time!!" Roman said. "It's Elmer!! He cut his finger on the edge of the roof just by putting it in place!" 

"Ew! I'll get him one!!" Miru yelled back.

"I'm fine guys!" Elmer said, and got into a bickering match about it with Roman after that.

"Guuuuuuys!!!!" Miru said. "No fighting!!!!"

"We're not fighting!" Roman giggled.

"I'm fine Roman! It happens!" Elmer said as Roman made a nervous look back at him.

"Okay! That does it!" Miru yelled. "How about I play the tie breaker here?!!? Roman, how bad is the cut on his finger?!!?" 

"It's bad!! He did good on it!!" Roman answered.

"He's getting a band aid!!" Miru said. "Sorry Elmer, but your son in law wins!! You're getting a band aid!! Roman wins!!" 

"Yeah, you better get him one!" Roman said.

"I'm on it! Be right back in a couple minutes!" Miru hollered and headed into her house and headed upstairs to the bathroom and got in the cabinet for the box of band aids. "Should I get just one, or should I get a couple of them?" Miru asked herself. "Roman said it's bad."

Miru finally decided to get just one band aid for Elmer's finger, and would go back if they needed another one for it, and headed back outside with it, and started getting it opened up and ready, and hollered up that she was ready.

"Okay. Climb on up the ladder and give it to him." Roman said and then started laughing.

"I don't think so Roman. If he really wants it, he's gonna have to come down here to me to get it. Cause I'm not coming up there. We'll both regret that, and my luck it would find a way back to my mom, grandpa, or both, and I'd end up with another lecture. I kinda don't want/need that right now. I get it enough as it is, and most times, I won't even do anything." Miru said and sighed again a bit. "Sorry, man."

"Hey Elmer!" Roman hollered. "You better climb down to her and get your band aid. I don't think she's gonna come up here with it." 

"She's afraid of heights Roman. She's not going to do that. That's the only thing she won't do playing extra backup like this." Elmer said as he stood and headed down the ladder to Miru and got the band aid on the cut. Miru thanked him for that, and asked if he needed another one, but he said that the rest of it was from the blood from the cut running down his finger, and was good with just the one.

"Okay." Miru smiled. "Be careful from now on." 

"It happens. And I will." Elmer smiled back.

"You're afraid of heights?!!!!!!!?" Roman asked Miru in shock, but also teasingly.

"Yup. Since I was a kid." Miru answered as she started helping Jim get cleaned up. "Never been good with them. Plus, my luck, it would've found its way back to my mom and I would get another lecture. And I don't need/want that right now. I won't even do anything and I get in trouble too. Like yesterday being an example of it." 

"I heard you got sunburned yesterday." Roman said. "Cause of all that?"

"Yeah. And I'll probably add to the sunburn, but at this point, I don't really care. But it wasn't just the sunburn that I got "aaah" with. My mom asked how the day went, like she always does, I updated her, especially with coming down here, and she didn't want me to, so I went off on her too." Miru sighed again.

"Ouch!" Roman replied. "Why did she tell you not to come down here? You've been fine and everything this whole summer with all this, especially right now, and when cleaning up, you've definitely been good, and a big help on that and everything." 

"I know." Miru said as her phone was ringing. "I don't get it either. I don't know what her and my grandpa's problems with it all are." 

" Neither do we." Roman replied as Miru answered her phone. It was her grandparents and aunt.

"Now what?" Miru answered. "We're busy trying to clean up."

"Woah. Hey now." Roman teased.

"You know it's my family when I do that. Especially when they are driving me crazy." Miru replied.

"I heard that." Miru's aunt said on the other end. 

"What do you want?" Miru asked her aunt.

"There's a lunchbox or cooler, something like that, under a tree behind your garage. We weren't sure if it was one of theirs or something." Miru's aunt said.

"A lunchbox?" Miru asked.

"Yeah behind your garage under a tree." Miru's aunt replied.

"What are they bugging us about now?" Roman asked.

"I don't know. Something about I guess there's a lunchbox or cooler or something like that under a tree behind the garage."

"Oh, it's mine. We'll get it." Roman smiled.

"It's Roman's." Miru told her aunt on the phone.

"Oh, okay." Miru's aunt replied and finally ended the call.

Miru got back to helping clean up, and crawled around the back of the trash cans and recycling bin, to go behind them, to get some pieces of roof and pieces they pulled off the house, that had fallen behind them, just as Jim was packing up the machine, that they plugged their electric saws into to run them, and tapped Miru in the butt with one of the hoses off of it, when he shook it to roll it up after unplugging it from the machine, and made Miru jump.

"Woah! Hey! That's my butt you just hit!" Miru said as Roman and Elmer started laughing immediately after witnessing the whole thing.

"Sorry." Jim giggled.

"He hit you?" Roman asked laughing.

"Yeah. He hit me in the butt with it. And I wasn't even anywhere near it while back here. He's lucky he can still stick around." Miru said.

"Well he has to stick around. He's our transportation." Roman said still laughing. 

"Oh if you're here in Ellwood City somewhere working, we can give you a ride home or whatever if you guys get desperate. We got room in the trunk." Miru teased and giggled.

"Thanks a lot." Roman said.

"Anytime." Miru laughed.

They continued cleaning up as Roman finished up and headed down the ladder with the scaffolding. Then he started teaching something to Miru that she didn't understand and made her think she offended her new friends, but actually didn't do that at all, minus the fact that they also understood why she thought it, even though she didn't. They finally got completely finished cleaning up, got Roman's lunchbox for him, and were heading out for the day. Miru grabbed her grandpa's magnet he was letting her and her mom borrow, and started going around the house with it for screws, bolts, and nails, and anything else metal that had been dropped and missed. As she got down to the cement steps and started to head for the porch, while the crew was pulling out, the crew beeped the horn at her and made her jump again as they doubled over in the seats of the truck laughing. 

"You know what guys?" Miru said as they laughed harder and Miru shook her head and giggled a little bit as they headed out for the week since they still had to wait for the rest of the siding to come anyway.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The rest of the siding was to come Friday of that week between 8am and noon, that the crew had taken the trailer with them when they headed out the day before, and did a small job day for people, while they waited for the rest of the siding to come, so that they could get started on it when they came back for the second week of the work. Miru and her mom got up early in the morning to be ready for 8am in case it was early, and ended up waiting well into lunchtime.

Miru's grandpa called and asked if it had ever come. When Miru said it hadn't, he said he was gonna call Roman and see what was going on. Miru said that she could do it, especially since she had his number now and such, but was told no on it, like they didn't trust her or anything, just like always. So her grandpa did it. 

Little bit later, Miru was doing the dishes, like she does every day after lunch, when they heard the Liberty Roofing truck finally come with the rest of the siding. Miru started to head out to see if the people needed help, especially since the last time it was only the kid that drove the truck, but was told to stay inside with the dog so she wouldn't hopefully carry on so much. Miru was not happy, but did, and then got picked on with the siding and Roman, even though they weren't there, defended Roman as she best she could regardless, and went back to what she was doing, before chilling for the rest of the day.

Saturday and Sunday were the same as every weekend, other than Miru finally got to make the cookies on Sunday, since she couldn't do it Wednesday, cause of the way the day ended up. Monday of the next week rolled around, and they got started again to finish up. As the crew was getting the trailer backed into the driveway to park it in front of the garage again, and then get the truck parked after, Roman asked if the siding came, and how the weekend was for Miru. Miru told him all about Friday with the siding, but that Saturday and Sunday were the same as always. As they started getting ready to work, Miru went into the house real quick to get the bag, that she put the cookies, with a "Thank you note" taped to the lid, into, and put an old pink teddy bear, that she cleaned up as best as possible before they came, to give to Roman's baby girl in the process, and headed back outside with it to give them.

"What are you doing girl?" Roman asked. "You forgot to unlock the garage before you went in there."

"Sorry. I was getting something real quick. I'm coming." Miru replied as she powerwalked up to them with the goodie bag.

Miru set the goodie bag down and got the garage unlocked for them. Roman headed off to get started as she went to hand him the goodie bag, so she gave it to Elmer to put in the backseat of the truck for the time being, and told him their cookies were in it.

"There's something in there for the baby too, if she'll play with it. I never played with it much as a kid, but could never find anybody with a little one to give it up to until now. Hoping she likes it. I even cleaned it up for her as best as possible before you guys got here too, but thanks to not playing with it much, it actually wasn't too bad with that, but I did it anyway with being an old toy." Miru said about the pink teddy bear for Roman's little one.

"Oh the baby don't care." Elmer smiled. "She'll probably like it. That's so sweet of you too. Both gestures. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Miru said.

Miru waited to just sit and hang out on the back steps while they got around the back door ready for siding later on. While waiting, they heard her grandpa come down in his car to go somewhere and stop and watch for a minute or two, and then saw him roll his eyes and shake his head at Miru, before finally leaving, for being with them hanging out and helping when needed. Miru groaned and sighed, but they had already known why she did it, just by witnessing it. Roman said about it all and asked what that was all about. 

"It's actually been like this since after you came to talk to us about the extra projects we decided to add to the rest of this and moved everything that was already here into the garage and then later on with the lumber for the roof. Sunday of that weekend actually. Just before getting started again. All of them, but mostly my mom and grandpa. It's like they don't want me to be friends with you guys. It's that obvious." Miru sighed.

"I think it's that they just don't want you to get hurt." Roman said.

"No, Roman, it's obvious that that's the issue or something. Can't figure it out myself." Miru sighed again as she explained more, including what she had gotten Wednesday of the week before, mainly with contacting Roman.

"Why? Cause we're different heritage and such from you guys or something?" Roman and Elmer asked.

"I don't know. You tell me." Miru sighed.

After all that, Miru went and sat on the back steps of the house and hung out until they needed her for something or whatever, while they started on the driveway side of the house first, and joked with Roman about the work, especially the siding.

"You're gonna be driving right on past the house cause of not recognizing it pretty soon girl." Jim joked.

"My mom might. But I won't be. I'm scared to death to drive, to the point where I don't even have my license, all cause of wreck 4 years ago, 9 days after graduation actually. And I'll get used to it pretty quick anyway." Miru said.

"You don't think you'll do that and end up driving past the house?" Roman asked.

"My mom might. But I won't be." Miru answered as Jim handed Roman more equipment and whispered to Roman what she just told him about not driving and that a wreck is what caused her fear and kept her from going after a driver's license, before Roman could ask why. Little bit later, Roman spoke up.

"Hey Miranda!" Roman said. "I just heard from Jim that you were in a wreck! When?" 

"4 years ago. 9 days after graduation actually. I graduated on June 2nd 4 years ago, and 9 days later, so the 11th, my mom and I went grocery shopping and got a big order of groceries, some for the house, but most of it was for my graduation party on the 20th of the month. We were sitting at the end of the 5th street bridge there, facing the hill that the blinker lights are on, to come up here, cause the light was red, and I saw out of the corner of my eye, my mom grip the steering wheel really hard and make a scared face in the process. I turned to look at her and started asking what was wrong, but all I got out was "Wha" and then BOOM, and we were hit." Miru explained while smacking her hands together for demonstration of the wreck, while shaking a bit from the memory and showing some more demonstration for what she was about to say next. "And my head almost hit the dashboard before the seatbelt finally locked up on me and threw me back against the seat. I even threw my hands up to my head trying to protect myself as much as possible til that part, and once the seatbelt finally locked up on me and threw me back against the seat, I put my arms back down and just let my body slam off the seat. I was so scared, and still am to this day."

"Oh wow!" Roman said. "Kinda can't blame you for being scared, even 4 years later. Were you the one driving the car, that you now somewhat refuse to drive?"

"Oh no." Miru said, still shaking from the memory of the wreck, and breathing even harder than she was now. "I'm like you Roman. I was in the passenger seat. And no, not the back seat either. And I literally almost hit the dashboard." Miru continued and gave one more demonstration with her hands saying about how close she came before going back toward the seat. "We had whiplash real bad and everything. And the guy that hit us was HIGH on narcotics too. Slurring his words and everything, to the point where I thought he was drunk, when really, he was just HIGH on narcotics."

"What the heck are narcotics?" Roman asked.

"Drugs." Miru said trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, don't do them." Roman said.

"Narcotics are the police term for the word drugs too." Jim helped explain.

"Thank you." Miru said as Roman teased a bit on it and Miru explained some more about just after it happened to heading to the hospital in the ambulance.

"Not the only one that's been in a wreck. We've been in 2 of them within the past couple years already. Well, I have anyway." Roman said.

"What?" Miru asked.

"Oh yeah. Both have been within the past couple years already. The one time, it was winter, we had been out working, on our way to the job or home, whichever, hit a patch of ice and the truck started spinning." Roman said.

"Aah!!" Miru yelled getting more scared. 

"Actually it was quite fun." Roman joked. 

"Not for me. I would've been so sick and asking for motion sick medicine." Miru replied.

"You get motion sick?" The whole crew asked.

"Sometimes. And that would've made me that way instantly probably." Miru answered. 

"It actually wasn't very fun, especially after whatever it was we hit when it was over." Roman said.

"You don't even act like you were in that recently." Miru said. "That's just...Wow. Ooh." 

"Yup. And we were okay actually." Roman said. "The other time was kinda like this, and we had the trailer with us when we got hit by someone. Truck was fine, but the trailer wasn't. Had to fix that."

"Now that's actually not too bad." Miru said.

"Not really. Just paying for it was, but it happens." Roman said. "My aunt not long after us with those even thought she was gonna be in a wreck and told the driver to pull over and got out of the truck and walked home." 

"What?!!!!?" Miru laughed. "You're kidding right?" 

"No. And we don't really know what happened, other than going a bit too fast for her or something I guess, but she was getting scared, my aunt was, and told the driver to pull over and put the truck in park. He did and then she got out of the truck, she got asked about it, and she said "I'm walking!!!!" and then slammed the door on the truck and started walking home." Roman said laughing back.

"Okay, now that's just down right sad." Miru said laughing. "Really funny, but sad."

"That's our family." Roman said. "At least my side."

"Wow." Miru laughed. "I thought mine was nuts." 

"Everyone is in their own way." Roman said.

Miru only got up from the back steps to stretch and walk around for a little bit, before sitting back down on them until she was needed for something or whatever, while the work was being continued, and just hung out there. A little bit later, Roman was up on the ladders and scaffolding to finish up the rest of the driveway side of the house, while Elmer and Jim worked on the driveway with getting pieces of the siding and such up to Roman, when they heard a lawn care crew pull up. It was the one for the neighbors, and he came and asked if they could get the stuff moved so that there was just enough room for him to get the lawn mower up and down the driveway. Miru and her new friends were polite back and started getting it all moved. 

Miru hopped down from the back steps to help them, and was moving more equipment than just a piece at a time, and moving a lot faster than they were too. At one point, Miru not only was wearing herself out too quick and making her breathing worse, but she was going so fast that she grabbed her next piece of siding too quick and hard that it slipped from her grasp and almost flung towards the side of the house as she made a noise when she did it.

"Woah. Geez. Slow down and don't damage the siding there girl. It's not a race. We're getting it moved." Roman said. "Gonna give yourself a heart attack helping us like that."

"No, you don't understand. We need to move this stuff, and ourselves, NOW." Miru replied. "Remember when my grandpa and I told you about the neighbor and what she's like? This one is actually much worse. Believe it or not. When he asks you to move, you move, and do it fast, like I'm doing." 

"We are." Elmer said. "And thank you for helping." 

"Yes thank you. But it's not a race." Roman and Jim said.

"You're welcome guys. And actually it is a race. You'll find out in like 10 seconds what I've been saying and how it's actually true." Miru said trying to catch her breath while still trying to continue with the help with this. Sure enough, about 10 seconds later, the guy started up the lawn mower. And Miru and her new friends weren't even completely done moving the equipment out of this jerk's way.

"Really?" Roman asked over the noise of the lawn mower.

"Told ya!!!!" Miru yelled back and helped Jim and Elmer hurry just by pushing the rest of it with their feet, and heading for Miru's yard to get out of the way, while Miru jumped back onto the back steps.

"Elmer, watch out!!" Miru hollered. "Here he comes!!" 

Elmer moved out of the way, but even then, he almost got hit by this jerk. Miru rolled her eyes and shook her head at the jerk, as they tried to continue to get more pieces of siding up to Roman. Miru's one neighbor and her grandkids were out on their back patio area while all this was going on, and watched/talked to the jerk while he mowed their yard, along with Miru's neighbor's yard, from across the driveway. A few minutes later, the jerk was done and headed back down the driveway with the lawn mower.

"Watch out Elmer!! Here he comes again!!" Miru yelled.

Elmer moved out of the way again, but even then, he was almost hit again as Miru rolled her eyes and shook her head at the jerk again, while Roman and Jim just looked, concerned and all.

"Geez!!" Roman said. "Why don't he just run poor Elmer over next time?!!?" 

"Hey!!!!" Elmer said.

"Unfortunately he wasn't being smart. He's right. He almost did hit you both times Elmer, even when I told you to watch out and you moved over. I would've even jumped down and ran and grabbed Elmer, and even taken being hit for him, if I had to. Rather it be me than a friend with that. Especially when they're half on my property when doing that too." Miru said. "I told you guys that that one is just as bad as the neighbor, if not worse. Believe me now?" 

"Oh most definitely now." The crew replied.

They got back to work with the driveway side of the house and did soffit/facia around a few places later on and started getting the porch ready to side the house up there next before calling it a day.

The next day, Miru's mom had an in service day at work and saw the crew for a couple minutes, as she was heading off to work, and the crew came early. Roman started siding the house up on the porch while Elmer worked in the yard with closing off a spot around the bricks, over by Miru and the back steps. Miru stayed back there on the back steps, and was playing a quick game on her phone when she heard Elmer beside her, with what she thought was just a mess up, as she heard a clunk sound on the brick, but thought at first that it was just the drill hitting it.

"Thaaaat didn't sound too good." Miru said aloud, but before she could ask Elmer if he was good back there, he came around and stopped in front of her and spoke.

"Nope it wasn't good at all." Elmer said laughing, and had Miru laughing instantly when she looked up at him, and saw that he hit his head off the brick and made a small cut that was dripping, and did something to his beard in the process as well.

"What the heck did you do Elmer?" Miru finally asked through giggles.

"What happened back there Miranda?!!!!?" Roman yelled from the porch before Elmer could tell her what happened.

"I don't know Roman!!!!" Miru yelled back, still laughing. "Elmer tried shaving his beard or something back here and it didn't go so well apparently!!!!"

"What?!!!!?" Roman asked.

"Just go down there and show him." Miru said to Elmer. "It'd be easier showing the proof. And it's a little too funny not to show him that." 

"Okay. Thanks by the way." Elmer smirked.

"Sorry." Miru said. "You laughing a little bit in the process didn't help yourself any."

"I know." Elmer said as he headed the rest of the way down the driveway to the porch and showed Roman and Jim what happened.

"What in the world did you do?" Roman asked Elmer when he got to the porch. "Miranda, did you do that to Elmer? Did he make you mad at him and you did that to him to get even?" 

"I've been back here on the back steps minding my own business Roman. I didn't touch him and do anything." Miru laughed as Elmer defended her and said about what happened, that Miru overheard. "And I'm not worried about the beard, I'm worried about the blood." 

"Yeah cause first his finger on the roof and now this." Roman said. 

Elmer came back up to Miru to continue what he was doing, while Miru went to check on the progress up on the porch real quick, and Roman, Jim, and her joked around again, and picked on Elmer in the process.

"I know I'm gonna get asked later on again probably about it, but how were the cookies yesterday?" Miru asked Roman.

"What cookies?" Roman asked. "I didn't get any cookies yesterday." 

"I was supposed to be making them last week on Wednesday, but cause of the way the day ended up, I couldn't make them until Sunday afternoon." Miru said. "What do you mean you didn't get any yesterday? I brought them down here yesterday. Elmer and I put them in the back seat at the time, I thought you and Jim knew that and that you got them." 

"Oh no. We forgot them in the back of the truck yesterday." Elmer hollered down to them, feeling bad. "Hope they're not melted everywhere." 

"Join the club." Miru and Roman mumbled as Roman had Jim go get the goodie bag and check and then bring the container to the porch after Jim said they were fine.

"I made them Sunday afternoon. So they're probably at least a day old on you guys now thanks to that." Miru said.

"I don't care. I want a cookie. Bring em here Jim!" Roman said. 

"I have something, in the bag I put them in, for the baby too, if she'll play with it. I even cleaned it up for her as best as possible before putting it in there with the cookies. Just an old toy. A stuffed animal. Hoping she likes it. I never played with it much as a kid, but could never find anybody with a little one to give it up to, until now." Miru said.

"Jim!" Roman hollered. "She said there's an old toy for the baby in there too!"

"Yeah there is!" Jim hollered back as he headed back to the porch with the container of cookies. "There's a note taped to it to prove it."

"Hoping the baby likes it, especially after trying to clean it up for her as best as possible, even though it didn't really need to be cleaned up since I never played with it much as a kid anyway. And it's kinda more for a girl anyway. Cause it's not only a stuffed animal, but it's pink too." Miru said.

"Oh she won't care. And don't worry. She'll like it." Roman said as he went to get a cookie. "That's so sweet. Thank you. Cookies too." 

"You're welcome." Miru said with a smile. "And that on top of the lid there, that's not a tag to say who the container belongs to. That's actually a "Thank you note" for all of this this summer."

"Oh thank you. You didn't have to do all this in return for us though if you didn't want to you know." Roman said.

"I know. But I really wanted to. Cause you guys really deserve it all after helping us out so much this summer, especially when we kinda got desperate when my grandpa went looking and found your info and we said to try. But I thought ask if you guys even liked the cookies to make sure before making them, and I felt bad for you guys not eating lunch when putting in that back door there." Miru said and pointed up the driveway to where the back steps and such were. "And just a kind last minute thought for the baby with the toy. Y'all deserve everything you got from me in return this summer. Plus, you're my best friends now too. I can have more than one best friend, and you guys are just that."

"Aww." The whole crew said.

Not long after all that, Roman got into the cookie container and pulled out a cookie and started sniffing the cookie to mess with Miru. When Miru noticed, she started laughing and asked if they smelled really good.

"Smell like marijuana." Roman grinned.

"What?!!!!!!!!!!?" Miru said. "There's no marijuana in the cookies! Do you really think I would do something like that to those, especially when kids are probably gonna eat some too?"

"Never know." Roman laughed as he ate the cookie. "Mm, those are really good."

"There a soft serve version too by the way." Miru said.

"Still really good though." Roman said.

"What kind are they?" Jim asked. "Besides a sift serve version of them?"

"They're chocolate chip. Just a soft serve version of them, that's all. And my own recipe." Miru answered. "There's just no nuts in them, cause that's how I eat em, without nuts, but mainly cause I wasn't sure on allergies either. And Roman's probably just messing with me again, cause I kinda got nervous about today when making them anyway. Cause my aunt was helping me, and while we were putting the ingredients in the bowl, she tried screwing them up, and then when we fixed it and got em made the way they're supposed to be, she put me on the mixer too soon and almost made me mess em up. So if you don't like em, let me know and we'll eat em. And blame her cause of all that in the process too. Don't blame me."

"No, they actually are really good, Miranda. And you're here, your aunt isn't, so we have to blame you." Roman said. "100% sure. Truth."

Miru let out a sigh of relief at that answer as she and Roman tried conning Jim and Elmer into having a cookie, while Roman reached back into the container for another one. Jim finally ate one, but Elmer didn't want one at the moment. Little bit later, Roman went to get soffit/facia for the window on the porch and started getting Miru again.

"Uh oh. I feel dizzy now." Roman said.

"Me too. Get in the truck and we'll go to the hospital." Jim giggled as Miru shook her head at them, and Elmer did the same as her.

"I know Jim only had one, but how many of them did you eat Roman?" Miru asked. "Like 2?" 

"Try like about 4 of them." Roman said and then laughed.

"Roman!!!!" Miru and Elmer hollered as they tried not to laugh and then shook their heads in the process.

"Remind me again why you're related to him Elmer?" Miru asked.

"I'm only related to him by marriage." Elmer said.

"Still related regardless." Miru said. "Remind me again why?" 

"Cause I unfortunately didn't have a choice at all." Elmer said. "My daughter wanted him!!" 

Miru started giggling as Elmer grinned and then started laughing with her as Roman turned around and glared at them. Miru was still laughing some, but pointed right to Elmer when Roman turned around and Elmer tried to look innocent.

"I heard all of that you 2!" Roman said as Miru and Elmer still laughed. Miru and Roman headed back to the porch, Roman finished up there and started putting the railings back on, while Miru grabbed the cookie container for him and sealed it back up, took it back up to the truck, and put it back in the bag in the backseat, and headed back to the porch, climbed up the steps, opened the gate, and walked onto the porch to help at least clean it up, while Roman put the other railing back on.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

While Roman put the other railing back on, Miru got down onto the floor of the porch and crawled around and started swiping small pieces off of the porch to the ground with her hands, to pick up and throw away when she came down to the driveway again, and started grabbing bigger pieces, and trying to push some small pieces, that fell in between the boards, through them, to fall underneath the porch, or pull them out from in between the boards and throw them away. When Miru realized some of the pieces in between the boards were stuck, and couldn't get them with the bigger pieces that she already picked up, she decided to try later when everything else was cleaned up. Roman noticed what she was trying to do, and asked her about it. Miru told him about it, and asked if he had any nails in his tool belt, and if so, if she could borrow one.

"What are you going to do with it?" Roman asked when she grabbed one.

"Oh, um, when you and Elmer did the soffit for the ceiling up here last week, I came up with the broom and that magnet thing that actually belongs to my grandpa, to clean it up a bit, and found a big nail stuck in between the boards and got it out with the magnet, and then I used it to pull small pieces of soffit and such out from in between the boards that had gotten stuck too. It worked. That's what I'm borrowing it for. I'll put it back when I think I'm good." Miru said and giggled.

"Interesting, but okay. As long as it helps." Roman giggled back, but thinking Miru was nuts too.

"I've seen crazier stuff than this. I'm looking at some of the crazy I've seen right now as we speak actually." Miru grinned.

"I'm not crazy!" Roman laughed.

"Yes you are! Elmer would agree too!" Jim hollered up to them.

"So would my mom!" Miru laughed. "Thank you!" 

"You're the one crawling around on your hands and knees up here to help clean up with a nail in your hand, that you could easily poke yourself with, lose it, or both. And doing a crazy idea with it." Roman said to Miru.

"What?" Jim asked as Miru giggled and got back to working with trying to pull the stuck pieces out or just push them through to fall underneath the porch. "What in the world are you doing there girl?" 

"Some were stuck. This works." Miru grinned as Jim and Roman laughed. "Don't worry, Roman will get it back once I can't find anymore up here. Probably find more later though at some point. That'll just be my luck." 

"Gives you something else to do though." Roman said with a laugh.

"So rotten." Miru whispered and nudged her head Roman's direction and made Jim laugh.

Miru crawled over to the other side of the porch where Roman was, and started looking around him for more equipment that was stuck in between the boards, and at one point tapped his boot to have him back up, so she could get a better look, but still couldn't find much at the moment, and decided to get up, mainly cause she desperately needed to get up now anyway. Miru grabbed around one of the other railings and one of the posts to get up, and get herself steady cause of being so stiff. She grimaced as she got up, and had to plant her feet down to move again, before giving Roman the nail back.

"Are you alright there kiddo?" Roman asked. 

"My knees start to kill me when I do that for too long. Once I start moving a little bit I'll be fine. Just really stiff at the moment." Miru said as she went to move a bit. As she bent and straightened her right leg, her knee made a light pop noise, which helped. Then she did the same thing with her left leg, and her other knee cracked really hard and loud. "Ow. That helped."

"Ooooh." Roman and Jim said. "That sounded like it hurt." 

"Little bit. But it felt good. Got the stiffness out." Miru laughed.

"You ever been on a buggy ride before?" Roman asked as Miru went to move some more.

"Do hayrides count?" Miru asked laughing.

"That's not a buggy ride! Horse and buggy!" Roman said.

"No. You and Elmer are the first Amish I've ever really talked to more than a hello, smile, and waving. At least in the adults. Only other time was when we were at Pymatuning the last time, and it was the kids of the family, mainly cause they got into my bread bag. Well the boy did." 

"Uh oh." Roman said and asked about it. Miru told him everything about it, and how she found out the boy was in her bread bag.

"I got down to his and his sister's level and asked the boy if the reason was cause they wanted to feed the fish, but didn't have any bread of their own. The boy nodded so I spilt what was left with them, which wasn't much, and they were sad, but I thought we had more and said I'd be right back and went and checked. Came back with 2 bags of bread for them and got their attention, and they lit up like Christmas trees. Their faces lit right up when I brought it back for them. Their family thanked me up and down too. Otherwise you guys are the first Amish I've ever really talked to." Miru said. 

"So you've never even been offered then?" Roman asked.

"Nope." Miru said.

"Well, if you're interested, I'll take you on one. But you'll have to let your grandpa, mom, or both know about it." Roman said.

"Well, I would have to let at least my mom know anyway regardless, cause I would need a ride out there, and then back home again later on, anyway. Cause of what I said yesterday about driving and the wreck and such." Miru said. "But I'm interested. I don't know about anybody else though."

They finished up on the porch and headed back down to the driveway and cleaned up what Miru could swipe off the porch, and then headed out back to Elmer. Roman helped Elmer finish up back there, while Jim and Miru finished with clean up on and around the porch at the moment. All of a sudden, Miru and Jim heard a strange noise come from Roman. Miru thought at first that he and Elmer found a snake back there, til she heard a small "choo" after it, before hearing it all again a second time. Miru whipped around and looked at Jim and then Elmer.

"What in the world was that?" Miru asked Jim and Elmer. 

Elmer just looked at her and pointed to Roman, even though Jim and Miru couldn't see him cause of where he was at.

"Did he sneeze?" Miru asked. "Or did he just give birth to something over there?"

"I don't know. Sounded like he gave birth to something over there. It was strange that's all I know." Jim said as Elmer just laughed and Jim and Miru joined in the laughter.

"What?!!!!!!?" Roman asked before seeing that at least Elmer was laughing. "What's so funny? What she say?"

"Nothing!" Miru hollered, still laughing as she and Jim headed toward them with stuff to go in the truck. Jim handed her what he had and headed back to see if they needed anything, and told Roman what they thought with him sneezing, especially what Miru thought of it, as Miru put what they cleaned up in the back of the truck. As she got up to them and got closer to the truck, Roman leaned back to look around Elmer at her.

"Bless you Roman!" Roman said.

"Sorry." Miru giggled. "I didn't know what that was. I thought you found a snake or something back here. I didn't know that you sneezed. Bless you." 

"Too late. I just blessed myself." Roman grinned. "These 2 didn't say it either cause they were with you. So I blessed myself."

"Sorry." Miru, Jim, and Elmer said, still laughing.

"Sure." Roman smirked.

They finished up closing off openings around the bricks and took lunch break. Miru ate hers in the house and then went up to the trailer and such where the crew was at with theirs. Miru went up to the bank and climbed up the easy way behind the garage, and went to head for Roman and Elmer and the flatbed of the trailer, when her phone started ringing as she got up the bank. It was her mom letting her know that she was on her way back to the office from the in service day at work. Miru said right away about the buggy ride offer from Roman to her mom and her mom said they'd have to see.

Miru ended the call and went back down the bank with the crew as they got back to work and got the side of the house that the air conditioner and electric box are on, and the back of the house, ready to be sided. Roman got on the roof at the back of the house and started there, while joking around with Miru and Jim, while Elmer worked somewhere around the front of the house. At one point, Roman, Jim, and Miru were saying something about animals, mostly with Roman trying to teach Miru more about Amish, and said something about an elephant too.

"No. The elephant is that big, crazy, old, bald guy that lives 3 houses up the street and comes waddling down here and bugs us and drives us crazy." Miru said and bit her lip trying not to laugh, as Jim started laughing, and Roman doubled over on the roof laughing so hard she thought he was gonna fall off the roof, and she'd have to try catching him. 

"Crazier than a bed bug." Roman said, still laughing.

"What?" Miru grinned as Jim headed off to get more equipment from the garage. 

"Where did you pick up everything you know?" Roman asked. "Who taught you everything you know?" 

"Trained secret." Miru giggled as Roman hollered for Jim to get moving cause he was ready for the equipment, but also needed siding. "Jim!!!!!! Let's go slow poke!!!!!!!! Boss is ready and he needs siding from these boxes in the yard too!!!!!!!!!" Miru yelled toward the garage after all that to help.

"Unless you really think you can get the siding out and up here." Roman said to Miru.

"Sure. I can try. How much of it do you need Boss?" Miru said.

"Just one piece for now." Roman smiled.

"Okay." Miru smiled back and walked to the left of the yard and started pulling out a J-channel piece of the siding, for edges, from the wrong box. "Wait a minute. That's not siding. What is this?" 

"That's J-channel. It's siding too, but for edges. Wrong box. Other side of the yard George." Roman hollered down to Miru.

"Crap. Whoops." Miru said as she put the J-channel piece back and went to the box of siding on the other end of the yard. "I thought I was in the wrong one. Did you just call me George by the way?"

"It happens. And yes I did." Roman giggled as Miru pulled out the piece of siding. "That's a girl. You're getting it. You're learning." 

"Good grief." Miru said. "How big is this?" 

"You should be getting to the other end of it any second George." Roman said just as the other end came out and smacked Miru on the arm and leg. "Ooh. There you go. Piece at a time." 

Miru got the piece of siding shifted in her arms and lifted it over her head not only to carry it over to Roman, but to make it easier for her to get it to him when she got there. Roman did what he needed to do with it and told Miru to do it again, whether there was a mess up or not. Miru did each piece one at a time, and one time, got the one end of one of the pieces caught in the grass, to the point where it bent on her a little bit and almost flung out of her hands, while the end that was in her hands almost hit her in the face, as she went to move it, after getting it out of the box.

"Woah, don't bend it and break it George!" Roman hollered.

"Wasn't my intention to begin with. And my name isn't George. You know what my name is." Miru laughed as she brought it to him and handed it up, and then held the other end of it as Roman cut it in half for what he needed to do. When Roman got it cut in half, Miru's half slipped a little, and went crashing to the ground. As she threw herself forward as quick as she could to catch it, Roman's half slipped from his grasp in the process, and hit Miru in the head when it came down. It hit her flat, and on the very top and back of her head, but Roman and Jim still were pretty worried that she was hurt, especially with thinking it cut her head open somewhere in the process, as it dazed her and her head jerked all funny and made her neck a little sore at first too, and she brushed her sweaty hair back down a bit with her fingers after it hit her.

"Oof." Miru said as she shook her head from the hit and blinked, and brushed her hair down some more with her fingers, before shaking her head and blinking a couple more times. "Put my neck out in the process why don't you. Oof." 

"I'm so sorry Miranda. I thought you reacted kinda funny and that it jerked you someway somewhere. And it looked like it hurt too." Roman said, feeling so bad. "Are you okay? Did it cut you?" 

"I'm okay. It's alright. It happens. And don't worry. It didn't cut me. It landed flat when it hit me. Little dazed, but I'm fine." 

"Are you sure? Cause you don't look like it at the moment. Might need to pull up your speed dial and call that chiropractor of yours." Roman said back, still worried about her and feeling so bad. 

"It's okay Roman. Don't worry about it. And don't worry about me. I'm fine. It's wearing off and going away now. If I start not feeling too good to where I feel like I really need it, I'll call and get an appointment. It's alright. It was an accident. It happens. And I'm fine. Calm down. It's okay. I promise." Miru smiled with a thumbs up and a wink, trying to make him feel better, and went right back to helping like nothing happened.

Roman still felt so bad, and at least Miru knew it, just by the way he looked when watching her, and the way he got the stuff off of her when she brought more to him. Miru told him again that she was good and that it was okay and that it happens, but he still was shook up, especially since it was his new little friend.

When they finally decided to call it a day and started cleaning up everything and then get the garage locked up, Miru stilled helped like crazy like nothing happened the whole entire time. When Roman came down with the scaffolding, he still seemed shook up. Miru walked over to him and rubbed his right shoulder and across the right side of his back real quick, and told him again what she had been telling him after it happened.

"It's gonna be okay. I promise. We're gonna be alright. It's okay. It was an accident and you didn't mean to do it. I know that and so do you and Jim. It's okay." Miru whispered as she tried settling Roman down a little bit. Roman turned to Miru and gave a slight smile, before taking the scaffolding back to the trailer, as Jim and Elmer got the ladders while Miru sighed.

"What's going on?" Elmer asked. "What's all that about?"

"He thinks I got hurt. But I'm alright. And it was an accident. And nobody's fault." Miru said as she took some of the equipment back to the garage, and then started grabbing tools and taking them to the trailer for them, making a couple trips each time.

"Hey George!" Roman hollered as Miru and him headed back to the yard and Miru started grabbing tools. Miru didn't answer as she was too focused on clean up. "George!"

"What?!?" Miru asked. 

Roman started helping Miru while teasing her and asked one last time if she was alright. Miru answered him with everything and asked why he was calling her George when he knew what her name was.

"Need a guy name for you. Especially after all of this extra backup and such you've given us in return. So it's George now. Curious George." Roman laughed.

"Don't you dare call me a monkey! If you're gonna do that, then call me Mickey or Miru if you want to call me a nickname." Miru said. "My aunt has done that a lot in my life, and I'm not a fan of being called a monkey." 

"Okay then. Just George. Got it." Roman giggled.

"You are so rotten." Miru said as they finished cleaning up and were starting to head home while Miru was gonna go wash up before getting Dottie. "Make sure to shut the garage, and don't forget the cookies and toy in the backseat of the truck this time. I mean it."

"Don't you get bossy with me George." Roman said and then started laughing as they headed up to the garage and shut it and locked it up.

"I'm not getting bossy with you. Unless you really want me to. When my mom isn't here, I'm the boss." Miru laughed back.

"Sounded a little bossy." Roman laughed.

"You wish, cowboy." Miru laughed back and nudged Roman a little bit as he and the others headed for the truck and joked around a bit more and laughed. 

"Thank you for all of this today. Everything you've done for us in return, especially today." Roman said as they doubled checked everything one last time and got the last couple things that they missed really quick.

"Yes, thank you." Jim and Elmer said.

"No problem guys." Miru smiled and then looked at Roman. "You owe me Roman. Big time."

"I owe you?" Roman asked. "What do I owe you?"

"A buggy ride, and a big paycheck." Miru giggled as they headed back towards the truck.

"Woah! Wait a minute! Who said a big paycheck in the process?!?" Roman said. 

"I was joking on that. The buggy ride, I wasn't."

"Gotta let someone know first." Roman said.

"I did, earlier. When my mom called to let me know she was on her way back to the office. At lunchtime." Miru said sounding enthused. "She said we'd have to see. So that's apparently never. I told her that you were the one that said about it/offered though, but even then, she told me the same thing."

"Ouch!" Roman said as they started getting ready to go.

Miru headed down the driveway to the house and started heading in to wash up before getting Dottie, and watched her new friends pull out and wave. As they got to her, Elmer passed the pink teddy bear up to the front seat for Roman to see. They stopped in front of the back steps, and Roman said that it was cute and kind, and that the baby, named Ellen, would really like that, before pulling the rest of the way out and heading home for the day.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The next day, the crew came early again, but Miru was up and ready to go, other than, like the day before, she didn't have Dottie up at her grandparents house yet. Miru hurried and got Dottie on the leash, and made sure at least Roman wasn't standing/walking around the back steps like the day before, cause she didn't want to scare them again, especially if Dottie barked at them again. Nobody was near the steps when Miru peaked, so she headed out with Dottie.

"Uh oh. Got the doggy with you again today." Roman said.

"She's going to my grandparents house. Don't worry. And she will not hurt you. I promise. Plus, she ain't going anywhere when I got her with me like this." Miru replied. "As soon as the garage is unlocked, she'll be outta here and I'll be back." 

"Okay." Roman said with a smile as he headed off to start getting ready to roll as Jim and Elmer happened to notice, especially Elmer. Elmer loved beagles, and Miru told him back in June that she was mix between a beagle and a bassit hound, and came right to her to say "Hi" and pet her, which Miru didn't mind at all, as she went to unlock the garage. All of a sudden, Miru started struggling and trying to unlock the garage with one hand, cause Dottie was tugging on her too much, trying to get to at least Elmer. Miru gave up and started unwrapping the leash from around her hand and offering the end of the leash to Elmer.

"Can you please hold her for just a second?" Miru asked Elmer as she did that, sounding a little frustrated, even though it was only Dottie and not the crew or anything. "I'm trying to unlock this one-handed cause of her tugging...."

"Ain't easy. Is it?" Elmer giggled.

"No, not really. Especially when you're not trained to be one-handed." Miru giggled back.

"Sure. I can hang onto her." Elmer smiled and took Dottie for her. "What's her name?"

"Dottie." Miru replied. "And careful. Cause she'll drag you. You've seen how she is with me." 

"Okay." Elmer said and then moved over with her. Dottie did start trying to do that with Elmer, especially while trying to get at Roman and Jim, but Elmer joined right along, teasing Miru in the process. All Miru and the gang could do was laugh. Miru finally got the garage unlocked for them and took Dottie back and headed down the driveway to her grandparents house with her, getting drug like always, and had the crew laughing. Dottie stopped when they got to Roman real quick and sniffed his leg, like the day before.

"Yeah. That's Roman." Miru laughed and then whispered that she was just saying "Hi" and wouldn't hurt him, and probably smelled at least his kids on him. "He's gonna work on the house some more with Elmer and Jim. And you're going to grandma's. Come on Dottie." Miru said and had to drag Dottie away until she got the hint and dragged Miru to her grandparents house. 

Miru finished with Dottie, came back, and got done in the house real quick with finishing getting ready, and headed back outside with the crew. At one point, Roman was obviously texting someone back when he stopped for a sec, as he was doing something on his phone, and then asked Miru how the word "chance" was spelled. Jim and Miru just looked at him with the look of "Really?" and told him that you spell it like it sounds. Roman figured it out, Miru picked on him and made the other 2 laugh, and then he headed to the other side of the house, while Miru went to the back steps. As Miru sat down on the back steps, Roman and Jim hollered for her to get her eraser for them to borrow. Miru started struggling to find it in her pocket, since it fell under her phone, and yanked her phone out to find it, almost dropping it in the process too, and tossed the eraser to Roman.

"You prepared already today?" Roman asked.

"I've been coming prepared this whole week actually." Miru said and pulled out a handful of band aids to show him.

"Cause of Elmer with those?" Roman asked.

"And if anyone else needs them." Miru grinned. "I also got a thing of eye drops in that pocket too in case someone needs those too, after the bugs were hitting us in the eye, and then dirt and dust later on, last week on Monday." 

"Wow. She really is prepared." Jim said.

"I'll say." Roman said as he tossed the eraser back to Miru. Miru missed the catch and dropped the eraser. "Supposed to catch that."

"I told you guys that I can't catch very good. Especially small objects like that." Miru laughed.

"Yet you can catch plastic bottles." Jim said.

"Well, those are a little bit easier." Miru said as she started heading back to the back steps.

"True." Roman and Jim said. "Speaking of Elmer by the way, his wife, meaning my mother in law, she saw right away yesterday, when he walked into his house, what he did and asked him about it. He told her. And I guess she said to him, "What in the world are you gonna do next?" " Roman said laughing.

"Yeah, after both of his incidents here." Miru laughed.

"He's an accident looking for a place to happen." Jim said. "Roman too, but not as much or as often as he is." 

"Who's an accident looking for a place to happen?" Elmer asked, and Miru and the others just looked at him and pointed to him, as Miru went to the back steps again, while Elmer said to Roman that he had some nerve. Elmer worked right beside Miru with the siding, while Roman went and worked on the side of the house that the air conditioner and electric box are on. 

At one point, Elmer had dropped some nails, and Miru went into the house and got the magnet thing that actually belongs to her grandpa, and one of Roman's Gatorade bottles from the recycling bin to put them into, if they were to be thrown out. As Miru was finishing up with that for the time being, Elmer went to put a piece of siding in place, but it kept sliding down like a yoyo everytime he got it in place. Miru dropped her gear and went running over to Elmer and pushed it back up into place for him, before he could try again, but continued to hold it after, until he got some nails in, to help it. Elmer thanked her up and down as Miru held it in place and smiled while he nailed it to the house. While doing that together while Jim wandered around picking stuff up and putting it in the back of the truck, they heard Roman working around the electric box with the drill, but weren't sure what he was really doing, other than getting siding up around it somehow, and heard the drill make a funny noise, as it shut off and went flying, and smacked into the air conditioner.

"Now that definitely didn't sound good." Miru shreaked and started hollering as loud as she could, asking Roman if he was alright over there. No answer every time. At one point Elmer did the same thing with her, but there was still no response. They started getting really worried, and knew Jim was cleaning up a little bit, but Miru wondered where Jim was at anyway, to have him go check on Roman, since she was still helping Elmer, and there still was no response from Roman. Jim came back, knowing something happened over there too, and was a little bit worried too, as Miru started wondering where Jim went.

"I'm right here. And I heard it all and everything too, and even I'm kinda worried too." Jim said.

"Jim go check on him, please." Miru said.

"She's worse than you and I are." Elmer helped her with explaining.

"Partially because it's my house you guys are working on, but he's not responding to our hollers either." Miru said. "Go check on him Jim. Please."

"Why can't you do it?" Jim joked as he started heading over to check on Roman.

"Hello." Miru said and nudged her head to the house where she was still holding the piece of siding in place for Elmer.

"Cause she's helping me." Elmer said, defending Miru.

"And you're not doing anything at the moment either." Miru replied. "Now go check on him. Please."

Jim headed the rest of the way over to go check on Roman. As Jim started disappearing behind that side of the house to go further, Roman came around the corner of that side of the house to get some more gear and started laughing.

"Now what's so funny?" Miru asked real enthused.

"I just put my heart back in rhythm over here." Roman giggled. Jim continued to look right at him and made a shocked face, while Miru and Elmer whipped around and made the same look as Jim just had. Miru's reaction was the worst out of the rest of them.

"What did you do over there?" Miru asked firmly but worried all at once.

"Oh I got shocked somewhere off of your electric box over here." Roman said, and Miru got even worse and started yelling at Roman to stop being bad, stop trying to kill himself, and stop trying to burn the house down. She never got nasty with him at all, but she was very firm about all of it, especially after how scared they all got, mostly her.

"You getting bossy with me again?" Roman asked.

"She has every right to be at this point." Elmer said. "And it is her house. Like she said, when her mom ain't here, she's the boss."

"You literally scared us to death." Miru said breathing hard. 

"I scared myself. What are you talking about?" Roman said back.

"Cause you weren't responding to us everytime we hollered." Miru said, still taking hard breaths.

"You made her the most worried though, partly because it's her house you did it on." Elmer said. "But you weren't responding to us everytime we hollered over to there either, like she said. That's why we had Jim go over and check on you." 

"Sorry. I guess I know to respond from now on if it or something else ever happens again." Roman said.

"You got that right buddy. Especially if you're awake. Cause I thought I was gonna have to call 911 and then my grandparents and have my grandpa come down here too." Miru replied. "Don't scare me like that."

"I'm sorry." Roman said and headed back over to get finished with half of that side of the house before they took lunch break. 

"You know, he doesn't have to find a way to put his heart back in rhythm himself. I know CPR." Miru said shaking her head.

"CPR? What's that?" Elmer asked, and Jim told them what it was pretty quick.

"Thank you Jim." Miru said and demonstrated what to do. "I learned it and first aid in high school in one of the classes I signed up for, so that if something like that happened, or like the last two incidents with you, and it was really bad, I knew what to do to try and help until 911 got to the location, besides just calling 911." 

"Well, what about what he just said about cause of what he did?" Elmer asked.

"That's why you call 911. They do that part, if it needs done. You call 911 and tell them the situation, as best you can, whether you just found them or were there when whatever it is that happens happened, and you do what I demonstrated until help arrives, and then they take over, and if that needs done too, they do that part." Miru explained.

A few seconds later, Miru's mom texted her, asking how it was going, like she usually always does. Miru updated her mom on everything so far, and then said that she thought she was gonna have to call 911 a few seconds ago and about what happened.

"What was that?" Jim and Elmer asked when they heard her mom's text come in and saw Miru text her back real quick with everything.

"Just my mother. She usually at some point checks up on me every day. She was wondering how it was going down here. I just sent her all the updates, including SOMEBODY scaring us half to death." Miru said and looked to the direction of the other side of the house. "She'll probably respond back quickly to that after reading that part." 

"Probably." Jim and Elmer replied just as Miru's phone went off with her mom texting her back. Miru pulled it up and started typing back to her about it.

"Told ya." Miru said laughing and had Jim and Elmer laughing too as she continued to type back to her mother about it. Jim and Elmer asked what her mom said back, Miru told them, and they giggled a little bit more. "I told her that I'm not as worried about the house as I am with you guys. Lives are more important than worrying about whether the house is still standing. She agrees, but is also worried about the house too. Ugh."

"Tell her you guys worry too much and that you're safe." Roman said as he finished up half of that side of the house and went to break for lunch, making Miru jump again as he came around the corner and right up behind her. "And you're really jumpy too."

"Well, I wasn't expecting you to be there and telling me that either." Miru said as Roman, Elmer, and Jim laughed. "You guys done scaring me?"

"Probably not." Roman said grinning, as Miru typed that back to her mom and then took lunch break with the crew. Miru went and got hers and sat on the back steps and ate it. While Miru ate her lunch, her phone went off again. It was her mom texting her back after telling her what Roman said. She would get to it in a little bit. After she was done, she headed to the trailer and such, and hung out until they were ready to get back to work. 

"What'd your mom say when you told her I said you guys worry too much?" Roman asked.

"Oh shoot, I forgot about that." Miru said and whipped her phone out and checked it while everybody laughed. "She wants to know if you're sure. Oh, and she said you're rotten." Miru laughed.

"I'm rotten?!!? I'm not rotten." Roman said grinning while Miru and the gang just looked at him. 

"She thought it was funny that you not only can text too, but that I said you were like my grandmother with the word "chance" though." Miru giggled as she read the text and said she was laughing at that, and got Elmer and Jim giggling with her.

"That's sad man." Jim laughed as Elmer couldn't say anything cause of laughing so hard.

"I think we all know who the rotten one actually is." Roman said and looked right at Miru.

"Yeah. You Roman." Miru said laughing.

"So are you." Roman said grinning.

"Nooooo." Miru grinned back at them as they headed back to get back to work. "At least you guys didn't leave the cookies in the back of the truck this time. Or did you?"

"No we got em. Roman took em to his house." Elmer said.

"Okay. Good." Miru said and turned to Roman. "Did Ellen like her pink teddy bear?"

"Thought it was a pig." Roman said laughing.

"Nope. Teddy bear that just so happens to be pink." Miru snickered. "Ellen like it?"

"Oh she REALLY likes it." Roman said and smiled and laughed. "I went to give it to her, and she took it from me and gave it a great big hug."

"Oh! Well, that's good. That's what I was pulling for. I was hoping and praying that she would like it, but I wasn't expecting that. I guess she LOVES it." Miru laughed.

"She does." Roman said, still laughing. "But I wasn't expecting her to do that in the process either. I knew she'd like it, but, wow. You're right. She loves it."

They got back to work with getting the rest of the other side of the house finished as much as possible. Miru got so warm at one point, that she went to the porch and hung out up there for awhile. Then Roman had Jim hand some soffit up to her, to hand to Roman when he was ready for it, where she was at. When Roman was ready, Miru handed him the soffit until he said he was good and went back to the other end. Miru left the porch with what she had left of soffit tucked under her arm, and went around and met back up with them in the yard, and gave Jim what she had left since Roman said he needed it too. Then she helped Elmer for a little bit and then helped Jim with cleaning up. When they were ready to call it a day, Miru helped them with clean up and everything then as well, and then updated Red with everything that had gone on that second week so far since Thursday, and asked how she was doing, especially since something happened at her apartment building at the time, and had her living in a hotel until September 25th.

The next day, Miru got up at the same time she had been at the time, got Dottie to her grandparents house, and then went and sat on the porch steps waiting for the crew to come, since they weren't there yet. She was ready to roll. Miru's grandpa came down the street with their dog Ella at 8:30am, to go get a newspaper, and saw her still sitting there waiting for the crew to come, but never stopped and told her what was going on as to why they still hadn't shown up yet. Miru thought about calling Roman again and asking him what was going on and where they were, but thought at first that she should hold off until at least 9am and see before doing it. 6 minutes to 9am rolled around, and the crew came, with another trailer with them, that had a gutter machine in it.

"You're late!!!!" Miru yelled down to Roman as he got out of the truck and guided Jim to get into the driveway with it.

"Never late!!!!" Roman hollered back. "And I thought you knew it might be like that today."

"Nope." Miru said as her phone started ringing. "I got up like I have been, 6:30am. Took the dog to my grandparents house like an hour later, been waiting since for ya." 

"Oh. Geez. I figured you knew. Your grandpa was supposed to tell you." Roman said as Miru answered her phone with her grandpa's call.

"Hello." Miru hollered over the noise as her grandpa told her that Roman and them were probably gonna be later with this. "They literally just got here and you wait until now to tell me!!!!!!!!" Miru yelled. "I literally almost called Roman again wondering where they were and what was going on!!!!!!!!!! I could've slept in and gotten a bit of rest!!!!!!"

Miru hung up right away after screaming all of that to her grandpa, groaned, and almost threw her phone in frustration in the process. Roman asked and she flat out told him everything about it, especially with the phone call.

"I literally almost called you guys again wondering where you were and what was going on. But I didn't cause I thought at first wait and see, but I didn't want my mom to find out someway somehow, if I did call again, and get another lecture." Miru said between breaths, coughs, and clearing her throat.

"Well, I'm gonna be totally honest with you." Roman said. "I'm glad you didn't so that you wouldn't get in trouble again, but at the same time, I can't blame you for almost doing that again. Cause you should've been told."

"Yeah tell me about it." Miru mumbled as she slowly made her way down the porch steps and headed for the driveway as they moved the truck up it further and got parked. 

Miru hopped down from the small retaining wall at her house, and raced up the driveway to the garage and unlocked it so they could get started. MOST of the siding was completed, that they took most of it with them the day before, when heading out for the day, and got a refund on it for not using all of it, and only needed what they left at the house at the time, for smaller sections. Rest were the gutters, and what little bit of soffit/facia, and 2 small areas of the roof, and the back steps getting replaced, that were left to finish before they were completely done. The other door was to hopefully be in within a couple more weeks after all of this, since it needed to be custom made because of its odd size. 

Roman went to put soffit/facia around the windows on the side of the house that the air conditioner and electric box are on, and at one point, when Miru went to check up on it, wanted a water bottle, but only Miru heard it, as they all were talking to each other.

"Did Roman say he wants a water bottle?" Miru asked Elmer, but enough that Roman and Jim heard it too.

"Yeah." Elmer replied.

"Yeah, he wants a beer." Jim hollered back as Miru headed for the trailer to get in the cooler and pull out a water bottle for Roman. Miru whipped around and looked at them.

"There better not be beer in that cooler with all that water, pop, and Gatorade. Miru said, glaring.

"There isn't." Roman said.

"Oh good. Cause we ain't going that route here. What y'all do at home is your business, but not doing it here. I'll let Roman's smoking pipe go, like I have been, as long as it stays outside, like he's been doing with it, and nothing else gets lit up in the process, but no alcohol. Sorry. That one ain't happening here." Miru said.

"Oh come on!" Roman hollered.

"Sorry." Miru said. "My town, my house, my rules. When you're on my property, you go by my rules."

"Since when are you Mayor of Ellwood?" Roman asked. 

"I'm not. But I was born and raised here you know." Miru said as she got the water bottle and brought it back for Roman. "Okay Jim. Who's tossing it? Me or you?"

"I'll get it." Jim said and took it from her and tossed it up to Roman. Jim missed and it hit one of the windows up there and busted a hole in the screen for it, and smashed the water bottle too. Miru went to get another one out of the cooler as Roman hollered that the screen for the window broke too, and pulled it out and tossed it down to Jim.

"Roman!!!!" Miru yelled.

"Jim did it!!!!" Roman hollered back. "I didn't."

"I guess we have to pay for a new screen for the window now too don't we?" Miru asked Elmer.

"Probably." Elmer said and giggled a little bit.

"No!!!!" Roman hollered. "We did it. We'll pay for it."

"Make Jim pay for it!" Miru hollered. "He threw the water bottle at it!" 

"Oooooh!!!!" Roman and Elmer laughed.

"My turn Jim!" Miru said. 

"Don't break the other screen, or the window we just hit, or both." Jim and Roman said.

"Oh I can make that. Not as bad as actually throwing to the roof like last time we broke a water bottle." Miru giggled.

"If you say so." Jim said as Miru swung her arm back and forth to get ready, jumped, and tossed it up to Roman, as her phone went off with a text from her mom in the process, that they heard too. The water bottle made it to him and he caught it this time with one hand.

"She made it!" Roman hollered.

"You little stinker." Jim said.

"And my aiming skills usually aren't that good. I can throw. Just aim isn't that great." Miru hollered back.

"Pretty good to me compared to the roof competition with one between you two." Roman said.

"Yeah, that was fun, but not that good. And I was even jumping then to get it that far too." Miru laughed as she checked the text message. "Oh now what do you want Mother?!!?"

"Uh oh." Roman said laughing. "Update time again?"

"Apparently. What it says." Miru answered as she typed to her everything that had gone on so far, including just a little bit ago about the screen. "I just told her what Jim did.

"Uh oh. What she say?" Roman asked.

"I don't know. I just sent it." Miru laughed. "Takes awhile. And who knows with her what will come back."

Miru hung out again until needed, this time in the yard with Roman and Jim, since they needed the eraser again anyway, and she came and helped with that, and at one point, picked on Roman really good when he messed up and was saying that she did it, just to mess with her again. At some point, Miru's phone went off with the text back sometime, but cause of all the extra backup at the time, she hadn't gotten to it yet, and probably wouldn't by lunchtime now.

"No, my eyes can see. And my phone has a camera on it if you really want me to get proof. It was you." Miru laughed and had Roman and Jim laughing and joking around with her too, after Roman messed up what he was trying to do. Not long after, Roman was getting some more siding, soffit, and facia cut, and had Miru standing beside him erasing the extra pencil markings when needed, while still laughing and joking around with her and Jim, when her grandpa came to check on them and ask Miru about what her mom said about something to do with the windows.

"Hey shorty!!!!" Miru's grandpa said.

"Is he talking to me or you?" Miru asked Roman when they looked at her grandpa and then each other. "I know he's not talking to Jim. So is it me or you?"

"I think you." Roman said. "But I'm not sure."

"Well, yeah. I'm talking to her." Miru's grandpa said.

"At least it's one I can handle. Cause I'll admit that I'm short." Miru said and had Roman and Jim laughing again.

"How tall are you anyway?" Roman asked.

"5'2"." Miru said. "And my arms are short too. That's why I stretch and jump as best I can when handing stuff to you that I'm not gonna toss up in the air to you." 

"Ouch! That explains it then!" Roman laughed. 

"Yup." Miru said as she headed over to see what her grandpa wanted and found out it was about the windows her mom had mentioned. Roman overheard and was curious. Miru explained what she knew and asked if they wanted her to try calling her mom and asking her.

"Yeah, try and see." Roman said.

Miru pulled her phone out and got it on and ready as fast as she could and pulled up her contact list, hit her mom's cell phone number, and let it start ringing. Her mom answered on the second ring. Miru put the phone on speaker so Roman could hear too, and asked what she said about the windows. She thought it was chipped wood from when working on them, when here, even when Roman and Miru went and checked, it was just vinel that needed cleaned up when they were done. Roman said they would take care of it. Miru's mom apologised up and down about it, but they said not to worry about it and that they'd clean it as best they could for them, and ended the call and went back to work.

A few minutes or so later, Roman got done in the yard and headed for the porch roof to put soffit/facia around the windows up there. Miru's grandpa was still there at the time and said to Jim about seeing if they could help trying to flush out the drain for the one gutter, since it was full of dirt somehow, and seeing if that would help, at least for the time being, and go from there. Miru and her mom weren't worried about it, and didn't care, especially if it did help clean the dirt out better, and didn't mind the crew helping as best they could with it, as Miru's grandpa got the hose ready, and told Miru that they would tell her when to turn it on and off.

Miru did as instructed, and tried keeping the nosle away from the house, since it was so close to the new siding, especially by then, and started scratching up the new siding with the nosle. In between shutting it off and turning it back on, Miru texted her mom and told her what they were doing and what was happening. Her mom told her to tell them to stop and why and such, even though they couldn't control it happening anyway, and went and told them. Miru's grandpa started with her again in between some of her explanation and showing him and at least Jim, a little bit, and just like when the crew arrived, it continued, cause of her grandpa and the way he is, especially anymore. 

Miru started to cry and turned away from her grandpa and left the hose, and left her grandpa to do it, as she went and sat on her next door neighbor's wall at the end of the driveway, to watch/hang out with Roman, even though he didn't need anything at the moment, and didn't know what was going on, and cried like crazy cause of the day, along with everything else she goes through. She could never take it anymore, and today was one of them days with it all. When her grandpa, Jim, and Elmer by then too, were finally done with the hose, Miru's grandpa came down the driveway to her and was telling her about maybe texting her mom about having at least their plumbing service come over for something, before going home for awhile. Jim came down with him, to see if Roman needed anything, and to check on her too, since she walked away a bit upset, and both saw she was crying. Miru's grandpa told her to stop it and tried telling her again what he just told her.

"You can do it!!!! Cause I'm done!!!!" Miru yelled, still sobbing, and hopped down from the next door neighbor's wall and headed back toward the back steps, and continued to cry, as Miru's grandpa got into it some more with her on the day and letting her mom know what he wanted Miru to tell her. "No!!!! You do it!!!! I'm done!!!!" Miru continued to say when she turned back around, with her face turning red, and getting soaked from the tears and sweat. "I'm done with you!!!! Go home, call my mom and tell her what you want her to know, and leave me alone and out of it!!!!" 

Jim and Roman both looked, wondered what happened, and who Miru was screaming all that too, as she went back up the driveway, and sat back down on the back steps and continued to cry. Elmer came Miru's way at one point for something, not long after all that, and heard her sniffle from the crying.

"Plugged up today? Stuffy?" Elmer asked after Miru did it a couple times, once really bad.

"Oh." Miru jumped a smidge, and looked at Elmer for a sec, and then sniffed again while wiping at at least her eyes. "Yeah. And I took medicine for it too." Miru finished, trying not to sound like she had been/still was crying. Elmer realized quickly just by watching/listening to her.

"You okay?" Elmer asked.

"Fine." Miru sniffed. "Just my allergies really acting up today. Happened to be now that they got really bad."

"Okay. If you say so. Just curious." Elmer said. "We care about you, just like you do with us. We're here for you." 

"Thanks." Miru said trying to smile a bit as Elmer started heading over to Roman and Jim at the porch roof to at least check on them. As Elmer got to them to at least check on them, and then went up and helped Roman finish, Miru overheard what she could, of at least the rest of the conversation they were having with her grandpa, before her grandpa finally left for a little while.

Most of it was about what happened, especially this time, as to why Miru had been crying, cause of being so upset, and flipped out on her grandpa and said she was done. Miru's grandpa had told them that it was cause of him and not them, but they still thought, especially Roman did, that they had done something that made her upset like that, when it wasn't even them, or anything to do with them at all. It was all her grandpa, and only her grandpa. Elmer even piped in saying that he noticed something was wrong, especially when she sniffed so much, and just by looking at him for a split second, that she at least looked like she had been crying instead of her allergies just acting up.

"She was crying." Jim said. "I noticed that just by coming down here with her grandpa and looking at her. Plus her grandpa said she was. Is she still crying?"

"I think so." Elmer replied. "She must be really upset. Cause she seemed to still be crying."

"Are you sure we didn't do anything wrong Gary?" Roman asked Miru's grandpa.

"She's mad at me guys." Miru's grandpa said as he finally headed back to his house for the time being. "Cause of all I just said about. I don't think you guys did anything wrong in the process. You can ask her and see though, if you want to."

"I might." Roman said. "Cause I'm curious. And she's our friend. She cares about us and everything, just like we do, especially with her."

"She was on the back steps last I knew when I saw her." Elmer said. "I think she's still there. If not, knock on the door and see if she answers. Cause she's still here."

"We need to take lunch break anyway." Roman said as he started climbing down. "Where is she? Still back there on the back steps Jim? Can you tell?"

"Yeah. She's still back there, chilling on the steps." Jim said as he and Roman started heading up the driveway to the trailer and truck, and eat lunch, while Elmer came back around the other side of the house and started heading up the same direction, as Roman stopped and talked to Miru real quick about what happened, and told the others to go ahead and start eating lunch, and he'd meet them up there in a minute.

"Hey." Roman said when he stopped and tried talking to Miru real quick about what happened. 

Miru had her arms resting on her thighs and knees, and saw Roman and Jim coming, after noticing Elmer head up toward the garage and such for lunch break, and glanced down the driveway real quick after. She wouldn't look at any of her new friends, especially Roman and Jim, and started doing her best to bury her face into her legs when they came closer to her, so Roman said that to her, to get her attention, since she happened to quickly glance up for a sec, and then look back down again, and put her left hand up for a sec, to reply back, when he said it. Roman knew she meant "Hey" back, even though it wasn't much, especially when she looked back down quickly, sniffed once more, even though she was slowly starting to stop crying, wiped at her face again, and sighed.

"Did we do something wrong to make you mad at us and such?" Roman asked, but as he went to continue with asking, Miru shook her head and answered him quickly, while putting her hand back up to stop him in the process.

"It's not you. It's not Jim. It's not Elmer. And it's not all 3 of you. It's my grandpa, and only my grandpa." Miru mumbled as she sniffed and sighed again. "He literally drives me to drink. He just drives me crazy, every day. Gets mad at me, and/or everybody else at times too, about everything, whether it's him that is actually the problem or whatever, and pretty much every day anymore, and I'm just down right sick of it to the point where I literally just can't take it anymore. He's done it so bad today that I couldn't hold it back anymore. Just been a bad day. You 3 didn't do anything wrong. It's not you."

"Okay. We were just curious. Well, I was at least." Roman said as Miru hopped down from the back steps to try showing him the scratch marks on the new siding, but came right to him first.

"It's not you. Not any of you." Miru said as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders and rubbed them for a sec. "It's just my grandpa and only my grandpa, as usual. None of you 3 did anything wrong. You guys have done too good of a good job with all of this. And if it was you guys, I would've called you down from the roof there, and called the other 2 down to us, for like a little meeting type of thing, and talked to you guys about it. So it wasn't you. I knew you heard me up there when I said "I was done", cause I just so happened to glance up your way about two seconds later, and saw you turn and look and then wonder."

"What happened that caused it?" Roman asked. 

"I was ruining the new siding with this." Miru mumbled and sniffed for the last time as she headed for the hose and tugged at the nosle to show him and try to get him to see the scratch marks on the new siding too.

Miru agreed with Roman and them that there was nothing they could do, especially cause it would happen anyway, but Roman and them, especially Roman, felt so bad for Miru and everything she had ever been through, especially this day, cause there was no call whatsoever, with all of this from her grandpa, from when they came until now that day. Miru had every right to be upset cause of it, and they knew it and understood why, but thought they still did something wrong too in the process, when they did nothing wrong at all, all cause they heard what Miru said, when she snapped at her grandpa, and went back to the back steps like that, and didn't know what happened at the time, let alone who she said it to.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Roman went up to the truck with the others, after that, and got his lunch out, and sat down on the flatbed of the trailer with it, still feeling bad for their new little friend. Miru noticed, and got back up from the back steps, and went to the trailer up behind him, and sat on the other end and hung out, but they never minded that, especially since they were friends, and liked her. Miru needed to go get something to eat too, but after all that, she didn't really have much appetite anymore, so she wasn't that hungry now.

"Hey kiddo." Jim and Elmer said. Roman turned around and noticed she was there.

"Hey guys." Miru said and then turned to Roman for a sec, and said to them about everything with her grandpa, especially that day. "It was not you. None of you. It's not my grandpa's house, so he doesn't really care what goes on, let alone what happens. And my mom and I have wanted this for a very long time, practically since I was a baby really, cause it needed all this then too, but we could never afford it until now. I know it's gonna happen anyway and that we can't do anything about it, but you want it to look nice. And yes, you guys do pick on me a good bit, but y'all are very good about it, and you can't help but laugh with it anyway. And you guys have done too good of a good job with all of this too, and been so good to me in the process of it all too. I can never get mad at you guys with any of that. If you guys had done something that made me upset, I would've called you guys to me and talked it over instead of not saying anything like some people do. Cause I'm not like that. You guys are my best friends now, like I said with everything on Tuesday to you guys. So it wasn't you. And I'm letting you guys know that now so that you guys knew, cause I know Roman heard me too when I said what I said to my grandpa."

"We're here to help." Roman said.

"I'm here for you guys too. Help. Whatever." Miru said back with a smile to her pals. They liked that just as much as she did. "There's still somedays that I wish this was all mine already though. Cause then if I got a day like today, I could not only tell at least my grandpa off and to go away, like I did a little bit ago, but to also stay off the property unless I absolutely needed them for something."

"What do you mean you wish all this was yours already cause of having a bad day due to all that with your grandpa today?" Roman asked.

"Cause my mom wants to get a will made up pretty soon, in case something ever happened to her, and she told me, that if she could get it made and we still happen to be living here when something happens to her, that the house is to be mine." Miru said.

"Wow! Really?" The crew said.

"Yup. What she told me. But if we are still living here when her time comes, but also if she can get the will made up too. And it's mostly because, not so much, so that I still have a place to live yes, but cause I helped her out so much this summer with paying for all of this to finally happen for us, well, from the start anyway. And it was somewhat my idea too, even though we've always wanted this cause it needed it so bad too to begin with." Miru said. "I hope and pray every day that it all becomes mine someday, but sometimes, you just never know what the plan will be, but I continue to keep at it for this and that it gets answered and happens that way, mainly cause it's so hard to find a place to live."

"All very true." Roman said. "And what do you mean somewhat your idea to do this? Cause of how much money you have saved up in allowance with helping your family your whole life as it is? Cause your grandpa even said you didn't go to college or have a job."

"Well, the no job and no college parts are true." Miru said as she kept clearing her throat in between what she was saying. "But the money part, that's not just allowance, or money that I got as a gift, from my other family members, that live away from us I mean, to save up/use for whatever I wish."

"Woo." The crew said. "What you do? Rob the bank before that loan came through?"

"No, but that's what it felt like." Miru said giggling.

Miru just stayed with them and chilled while they did their thing until they were ready to get back to work. At one point, Miru told them about Dottie, since they asked, after Roman said about his in the process, and about other random stuff, that was helping Miru perk up and laugh and such, with them. In between all that, Miru texted her mom back with the rest of the updates. Roman shifted on the flatbed of the trailer a couple times, even while Miru texted her mom back, and Miru had to throw her hand down each time, even when she wasn't texting her mom, to stop the flatbed of the trailer from moving, cause it made her motion sick for a sec, every time. She didn't mind Roman shifting if he needed to, but she didn't like the trailer moving and making her motion sick for a sec, when he did. Elmer noticed at one point, and almost said something, as Roman noticed it, just by watching Elmer, and asked Miru if she was alright over there on the other end. Miru answered that she was okay now, and didn't mind him moving if he needed to, but to try to stop making the trailer shift in the process.

"I think it's making her motion sick for a sec when you do that that she keeps throwing her hand down on it and making that face like that." Elmer said watching them. "She won't even have her phone in her hand to text her mom back and she's still doing it."

"What she say about Jim breaking the screen for the window with the water bottle and breaking the water bottle too?" Roman asked laughing as he moved to look at her. Miru put her hand on the trailer again to stop it.

"Stop moving the trailer Roman!" Miru and Elmer hollered.

"Sorry!" Roman said. "You okay?"

"Fine." Miru said and then drew a slow breath, before grabbing for her phone in her pocket. "Just give me a sec."

"Okay." Roman said. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Miru said and started giggling at the text from her mom about the screen when she found it. "I can handle rocking chairs, especially if I'm the one making it rock, but motion like that, I'm usually not good with. At least it wasn't too much/too fast. By the way, with the broken screen and such, my mom said "I don't know about that bunch" back to me after I told her."

"Excuse me?!!?" Roman said.

"What she said. Cause first, you and your splinters, and slipping on your own roof, then Elmer with his finger on the roof, and then his beard and such later, you getting shocked yesterday and scaring us half to death, and now this today, but it was Jim this time." Miru laughed. "I told her to just laugh and get it over with. She sent back an emoji that's laughing."

"An emoji?" Roman asked.

"Ugh. And he can text too. He atta know what the heck an emoji is." Miru said and put her free hand to her face and shook her head. Elmer and Jim started laughing again as Jim explained for her and she showed him the emoji.

"About ready to start looking for a snake pretty soon?" Roman asked Miru. Miru was not a fan of snakes, but neither was Roman and his family.

"I'm not going near it. Don't be surprised I scream with you if we do, especially when the back steps get replaced tomorrow. And don't be surprised I do, the same thing your brother in law does, and run away too, while screaming." Miru laughed some more.

"You 2 aren't the only ones that do that." Roman said laughing. "I did that yesterday after we were home."

"Ooooh boy." Miru laughed.

"Yeah." Roman said. "Went back outside sometime later, after dinner, and was pulling weeds in the flower bed for my wife, saw movement, looked, and here's this snake lifting its head up and staring at me."

"Uh oh." Miru laughed even more. "I heard you screamed like a girl."

"Yup. I did. Soon as that happened, I stood up and ran in the house as fast as I could, screaming like a little girl about it, that's how much I don't like snakes too. Next thing I knew, the kids were laughing at me, and my wife thought I was nuts." Roman said.

Elmer and Jim just looked at him and were thinking the same thing. So was Miru, but she immediately started laughing really hard, more than anything else, and turned away from Roman, cause of how bad she was losing it, and got Elmer and Jim giggling with her by then. Roman noticed Elmer finally start laughing, and then looked Miru's way and noticed it on Jim too, but realized Miru was the biggest reason why they finally started laughing about it, since she was losing it so bad laughing at that.

"Shut up Miranda." Roman said.

"I didn't say a word." Miru kept laughing while the others joined in and giggled too.

"You're laughing though. So that counts." Roman said.

"Well." Miru laughed.

"It's the truth Roman. You are nuts." Elmer grinned.

"And it's a little funny." Miru and Jim laughed.

"Oh hush. All of you." Roman said grinning.

"Sorry." Miru and the gang said grinning.

"Yeah yeah." Roman said. "Come on. Better get back to work here."

"Oh man." Miru said. "You mean I have to get up? I'm actually comfy. This thing's comfier than the cement slab in the yard in front of the other door."

"You can stay there if you want to until we need ya if you're comfy." The crew said as they giggled a little bit.

"No. I need to get something to eat too before getting started again with ya." Miru said. "But I don't wanna get up."

"You haven't eaten yet?" Roman asked. "You usually have by now. What's wrong with you today girl? You're off schedule."

"I get a day like today and I lose appetite." Miru said.

"Know how that feels." Roman said as they stood up and headed back to work on the house. Miru went and got her lunch started and plugged their machine in for them before eating. When Miru was finished eating, she went back out as they started getting the new gutters put up. Miru was real impressed with the gutter machine and they knew it just by watching her look at it.

Miru went up to the porch at one point and hung out up there for awhile in the shade to cool down and get off her feet for a little bit, and then went back to help Jim start cleaning up a bit. 4pm hit, and they were finishing cleaning up, and getting the garage locked up. Miru's grandpa came out with their dog Ella to take her out, and saw them packing up. Miru and Ella were buddies, and when Ella saw her, she started wagging her tail and didn't wanna go back inside, even though Miru wasn't going to her until she came to get Dottie.

"Hi Ella!!" Miru hollered and then pointed up to her when her new friends looked at her. Roman went up to Ella and her grandpa to talk to her grandpa for a couple minutes, but also to see her buddy and pet her. At one point Miru looked back when helping finish up and started giggling.

"What?" Jim and Elmer asked.

"He's got the dog." Miru said and pointed again as she continued to laugh.

"Trying to steal your dog?" Jim asked.

"Apparently." Miru said. Roman passed Ella back to Miru's grandpa and came back to start heading home for the day as Jim started getting the truck moved. Miru's grandpa grabbed one of Ella's paws and moved it up and down like she was waving at them. Miru spoke up when Roman got back to them. "So did you like Ella?"

"That one's name is Ella?" Roman asked.

"Yup. And she's my buddy. I claim her as my dog even though she doesn't live here. Her name is Ella. The bigger one that looks like a big beagle is Dottie." Miru said. "Why? What's wrong with the little dog being named Ella?"

"Nothing." Roman said. "That's the same name as my wife. My wife's name is Ella too."

"Really?" Miru asked.

"Yup. Wife is Ella, baby is Ellen." Roman said.

"That outta get confusing at times." Miru said.

"Not really when you're used to it." Roman giggled.

"Jim said you were trying to steal Ella and take her home with you." Miru laughed.

"Very friendly dog." Roman said. "My kids would even like her."

"Well, you'd have to bring them over to see Ella, cause you aren't taking my buddy." Miru giggled.

"Okay." Roman giggled back as they headed out for the day.

Miru went to get Dottie after washing up, and saw her buddy Ella too, cause Ella kept pinning her foot to the floor.

"Did you like Roman Ella Bella?" Miru asked. "Huh? Did you like Roman? He sure liked you. Yes he did. You're a good girl. So friendly and cute. Yes you are."

"Your grandpa said that he said his kids would like her too." Miru's grandma said.

"He did. I told him he'd have to bring them over to see her cause he wasn't allowed to take her." Miru laughed and got her grandma laughing too, before heading back with Dottie and chilling for the rest of the day.

The final day of the two whole weeks, Miru got up early again and managed to get Dottie to her grandparents house and get ready, and got her checkbook straightened out, not long before the crew came. Miru sat down on the porch steps waiting for the crew, but it wasn't for very long. Miru finished with calling her mom about the amount for the other door project not clearing her account yet, and seeing what to do, when the crew came up the hill and down the street to the house, and started pulling in the driveway. They had more to finish up with than they thought there was, but knew they could do it, one way or another, to get it all done, even with Miru's help as their extra backup.

"Good morning." Roman said, like he had every time they came to work the whole summer after Miru, her mom, and her grandparents and aunts, hired them.

"Hey guys." Miru said back and started heading down to go to the garage. Miru waited until they were parked and getting out of the truck, before telling Roman to come to her. Miru eventually gave up and headed up to them and unlocked the garage, and then snuck up behind Roman and told him about the amount for the other door project still not clearing her account yet.

"What?!!!!? It never cleared?!!!!!!!!?" Roman asked.

"Nope." Miru said.

"Get your phone out. We're calling and finding out what the deal is with that. Cause if it's to have cleared by now, it shouldn't be doing that." Roman said.

"Exactly what I thought." Miru said as she whipped her phone out. Her phone started acting up a bit that it took her awhile to get it ready to dial, as Roman was starting to say the number. "Wait a minute Roman. My phone's acting up all of a sudden and giving me a hard time, so I'm not ready yet." Miru said as she started smacking the back of the phone trying to see if that would help a bit, and shaking it too, plus she was getting a little frustrated at it. At one point it shifted in her hand when she kept trying to do that, that she almost dropped it, as it finally pulled up the phone part to dial a number she didn't have in her contacts. "Okay, sure, now it cooperates. Finally. Now I'm ready. What's the number?"

Roman told her the number, Miru punched it in, and let it start dialing. A guy named Bobby answered and wondered what was up when Miru asked for who Roman told her to ask for, as Miru decided to put the phone on speaker and told Roman to talk too.

"Uh, Hello?" Bobby said.

"Roman......" Miru said.

"What?" Roman asked.

"Talk." Miru said.

"Hello?!!!!?" Bobby asked.

Roman finally caught on to what Miru was doing and helped her out with at least explanation.

"Well, who'd you guys talk to with it when paying for it?" Bobby asked.

"His name was Rick." Miru said and then looked at Roman. "I think."

"Yeah, Rick." Roman said.

"Hold on, let me ask him real quick and see what's up." Bobby said and put them on hold for a couple minutes, before coming back on the line. "He said he'll run the card through when it comes in."

"Okay. Thank you Bobby. Sorry about that. We were just curious about it." Miru and Roman said.

"That's okay. Doesn't hurt to check. Bye." Bobby said as they ended the call and Miru saved the number as Roman suggested, in case she had to call them for something too.

"What do I put that under? The place we just called?" Miru asked.

"Liberty Roofing." Roman said.

"Okay. It's in my phone now, like you suggested." Miru said and got back to helping with the work after texting her mom. A few seconds later, Miru's phone started ringing. Roman, Elmer, and Jim, especially Roman, thought she had a funny ringtone for phone calls, as Roman inmated it the one day, and she thought he was gonna do it again, since he heard it ringing too, while going past her to get something real quick for what he was gonna do first.

"Are they calling you back? Or is it something or someone else?" Roman asked laughing.

"Might be my mom. Cause it says Midland. And that's where she works. Where PA Cyber headquarters is located. I'll check and see." Miru said as she answered the phone. "Hello?"

It was her mom letting her know that she got the text but not to text/email her after that cause her phone charge was really low, and that she thought it was cause the breaker bar wasn't turned back on after a storm.

"That takes talent." Miru said to her mom and finished the call after a couple minutes later, while Roman was laughing at her.

"Who in the world was that?" Roman asked still laughing.

"My mother." Miru said. "Who do you think?"

"Uh oh." Roman said. "What she want that she called you this time instead of texting you?"

"I called her on the rest of her way to work and asked her if I was to let you know about, with Liberty Roofing just a bit ago, and I let her know what they said when we called. She called me back to let me know that she got the text, but to not send her any more texts or email for now til she gets home, cause her phone charge is really low, to the point where it's almost dead." Miru said.

"Whoops." Roman said laughing. "Your phones work through Verizon?"

"No." Miru said. "My mom's is a different brand of phone than mine, and through Virgin Mobile, mine's a Samsung brand, that is also run through Samsung, the one you have to constantly buy phone cards for. And both are touch screen, not just smart phones that you can do more on. And our landline, meaning a regular phone with an answering machine included, not a cell phone like we're using outside here, it works through our cable service."

"Pff. Luckies." Roman said. "My phone's through Verizon. And it's worse than those companies."

"I don't know if anybody in my family has dealt with Verizon before or not, but I heard from the rumor mill before, like people that told us, that Verizon is a pain, but I especially have never dealt with it, so I don't know if that's true or not." Miru said.

"Oh believe me. It is a pain. Worst phone service ever." Roman said. "Got it, not just for business yes, but for family and friends too, and all of a sudden at some point, it wasn't working right, like not ringing and such. Call people back and tell them that, figured out it was my phone that was the problem. Got a new one, and later on, same thing. I'm on my 3rd phone now in like 2 months or better now."

"Oh geez." Miru said. "I thought you were on at least your second phone cause I went to my grandparents house for something in between the porch and back door getting done in June, and getting ready for all of this, and my grandpa had just called you for us about one of the extras that he forgot to mention for us I think it was, and my grandpa said about it. But he never mentioned you saying that it happened another time long before that. Wow."

"Yup. Don't ever do Verizon with any phone." Roman said. "Such a pain."

"My phone here, I've dropped it and flung it and everything, I don't know how many times, and it still works. Then again, mine has this safety case that's made for protecting it with that stuff, and made for phones like this." Miru said. "May act up at times for some unknown reason, like today, but it works."

"At least mine does now at the moment." Roman said.

"Yeah. And the only way we know that for a fact now is cause if it's not a text, then it's ringing off the hook, if it's going off I mean." Miru said giggling.

"Got that right. At least mine has a normal ringtone for phone calls compared to yours." Roman said giggling.

"Like I said the other day, you should hear the ones for the alarm on my phone. The one literally sounds like a smoke alarm going off." Miru laughed.

"Gets you outta bed." Roman said.

"Yeah. Til you wake everyone else up wondering why it's beeping when there's nothing wrong and then they start yelling at ya." Miru giggled.

"Yeah, this is true." Roman giggled back as he headed towards her to work around where she was at next. "Now where did Jim disappear to? He's got some gear up there that I need."

"I don't know. Wasn't my turn to watch him." Miru giggled. "What you need Boss?"

Roman told her everything he needed at the moment, but to get it and bring it all to him, one at a time, to keep her from pushing herself too hard, trying to bring a good bit of what she could to him. When he was ready for siding and soffit/facia, Miru got the siding pieces while Jim brought the soffit/facia. Miru got back to him first and handed him the siding to get it ready, while she looked for his hammer, since he didn't have it on his tool belt. Miru found the hammer and went to give it to him, as he shifted on the ladder, or so she thought, and almost fell, before she realized he was shaking, especially after that.

"Are you okay?" Miru and Jim asked.

"Yeah I'm fine. I'm not scared. My knee is shaking, and I can't get it to stop. Uh." Roman said.

Miru looked and noticed he was right. Miru grabbed the other end of the ladder and gripped it as hard as she could to try to help him and keep the ladder steady, as Jim brought what little more equipment needed brought over to finish up right there, which got finished quickly, and then they got Roman off the ladder, and told him to try walking around for a little bit, and see if that would help, and if not, to sit on the back steps for a little bit, before doing anything else.

"Are you okay now?" Miru asked.

"I'm good. It happens." Roman said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Miru said. "I didn't know what to do that I did that with the ladder, and then told you to do that when you got down."

"It's okay. You did good. Just a bad muscle spasm. I'm fine now." Roman said with a smile.

"I figured that was what it was, but I didn't want you to fall. And when it first started, you almost did fall." Miru said. "So I tried what I thought I could to try to help."

"Thank you." Roman said.

"You're welcome." Miru said. "What's next?"

"The little roof above the back door and such there, and what little bit of siding up there too first, and then at least, starting on replacing those steps there after that, at the moment." Roman said.

"Okay then. Let's roll." Miru said and started getting the equipment needed for the little roof above the back door and such. Once that was done, they got a good head start on the new back steps and getting siding up in that area. "Just giving you fair warning now though. My mom told me on the phone call too, that she's taking a half day of work, and getting off at noon to go run some errands and stuff. So she'll probably see you guys finish up and such today, along with bugging us, like my grandpa has been."

"Uh oh." Roman said.

"Yuppers." Miru said. "Watch her see me out here, helping and such again, and yell "What are you doing outside again?" Just my luck."

"Just tell her that you're helping, which you are." Roman said.

"Or, I could tell her that, along with saying to her "I'm going Amish" if she says something." Miru said giggling.

"Oh there you go. Might get mistaken as a guy causing of dressing like you do though." Roman said giggling back.

"Oh well." Miru said. "I've been dressing like this for quite a long time. I'm comfortable this way. And I hate when my hair is long that I wear it so short like this. People know right away that I'm a girl, but still call me a tomboy cause of dressing like this and wearing my hair short. But I don't mind it."

"It's what you like and prefer, especially for comfort. Not that bad." Roman said.

"Yup. So if I come over for the buggy ride offer, if it still stands, I'll borrow a bonnet if I absolutely have to, but I'm not wearing a dress. Coming like this. I'm not much for dress up." Miru said.

"You don't wanna do that for one day?" Roman asked.

"Like I said, I'm not much for dress up. Figured that out after 4th grade Halloween. You wanna talk a hot costume. After that, dressing tomboy became permanent." Miru said.

"What was your costume that year that you went to permanently dressing tomboy after it?" Roman asked.

"I'm looking right at the male version of it." Miru said.

"You were an Amish girl that year?" Roman asked.

"Yup." Miru said, and told him all about it, including people thinking she was Amish, or cute in it, or both with it too. "It's a shame I didn't like wearing it though, cause the costume itself was fine, and it was perfect weather for it. We think the bonnet was the issue with being so hot in it."

"Probably, if you cooled down instantly when you took it off after getting home, and wanting out of the whole costume so bad." Roman said and then started laughing. "We'll put you in my hat for the buggy ride offer. We'll get you a hat."

"Okay." Miru laughed back. "That shouldn't be too bad, depending on how the temperature is then. That'll work. I don't know why hats are fine on me, regardless of what the weather's like, but bonnets bother me, especially like that. Cause bonnets never bothered me either before that."

"You've worn bonnets before? Even before that?" Roman asked.

"I was like baby to toddler or so then. But yeah. Few times I did. And it didn't matter if the bonnet was black or white. Never bothered me before. Put on that costume, and then it bothers me. But hats never have, let alone much, no matter what the weather. I don't get it." Miru said.

"Me either. That's odd when you're fine regardless with hats." Roman said. "We can do that instead."

"Fine by me." Miru said giggling and got another piece of J-channel and almost couldn't reach Roman with one of the smaller pieces he had already cut. "Why am I so short, in the arms and height? Not fair."

"Cause God told you to be that way with both." Roman said.

"You're not helping." Miru said.

"Sorry. Truth." Roman said. "You and your grandpa friends again?"

"Pff. Can I let you know?" Miru giggled.

"My shirt is apparently ripping some more on one of these holes in it." Roman said.

"Your pants are falling down too. Not just your shirt being all ripped up." Miru said.

"Well, the only reason my pants are falling down, is cause my wife made them too big. I didn't." Roman said.

"Well, not just cause your skinny too, period, but if you quit smoking, you wouldn't have that problem either." Miru said.

"Not any of that. She just made them too big to the point where I might need to go buy a belt for them." Roman said.

"Gonna have to do something. Cause nobody wants to see that everytime you move." Miru said.

"Not my fault." Roman said.

Miru's grandpa came to check on them and see how it was going for a little bit. Couple minutes later, they heard a ringing sound, that sounded like a phone, but it wasn't anybody's cell phone.

"I think your landline is ringing." Roman said and shifted on what they already had in place for the new back steps, so Miru could get the phone and answer it.

"Maybe it's the guy about your porch furniture." Jim said as Miru headed inside.

"Huh." Miru giggled. "I doubt it."

Miru checked the phone and it was a scam with someone using a guy named Philip Peters' name and went back outside from the porch.

"Was that the phone call?" Roman, Jim, and Miru's grandpa asked.

"Nope. It was a scam, cause it came up Philip Peters." Miru said.

"Who?!!!!?" Roman asked.

"Thought the same thing." Miru said.

"Still haven't heard from that guy about furniture for the new porch." Jim said.

"Mm mm." Miru said shaking her head.

"Better call him. Get on the ball and call him." Jim said.

"What?" Miru said. "And get in trouble for that too?"

"You'd be helping your mom out on that too. Since you both are getting it too." Roman said as Miru just cleared her throat.

"Remember what I said about my mom flipping out for calling you once. Even though it was for a good reason." Miru said. "Yeah. Probably get it again if I did that too."

"Really?" Jim asked.

"Have you even met my mom?" Miru asked. "Besides Roman, cause he has a couple times and knows a smidge of it all. And what I said before with that. She'll probably do it again if I did it for that too."

"Your mom's home as we speak about her like that you know. She's just at my house at the moment though." Miru's grandpa said as a small cut piece of J-channel went flying and landed in the recycling bin. Miru got on the ground and dug around in the recycling bin like crazy until she finally found it.

"Got it!" Miru said.

"All that for just a little piece?" Miru's grandpa asked.

"Uh, hello. Not supposed to be in there. If I left it there and my mom found out. Yikes. Why do you think I went after it?" Miru said.

"Duh." Roman and Jim said laughing, as Miru took the bucket of what they picked up already, and dumped it into the back of the truck, so Roman could use it for something real quick.

When they were done getting siding around the back door, Miru went around with the magnet, after cleaning up more siding and soffit/facia, while they started getting a railing ready for the new back steps.

"So how you liking the house?" Roman asked.

"I love it." Miru grinned.

"How can you love something that doesn't love you back?" Roman asked.

"Well I do." Miru said. "My mom better learn to like it too."

"I wasn't sure about it when we first started putting it on, but the more we do it to finish it, the more I like it too." Roman said.

"What? Is this your first time doing Topaz?" Miru asked.

"Yeah. Done a lot of siding. But never this color. That's why I said that. I like it more the more we do it to get it done." Roman said.

"Well you better. Same with my mom too. Cause it's not going anywhere." Miru said. "I think it makes it look like a log cabin too."

"Yeah kinda. Your mom like log cabins too?" Roman said.

"Oh yeah. She's even said she wanted a log cabin before too, but would never get one no matter what. She's getting it now with this color, so she better like it." Miru said.

"I heard she wanted Meadow. The green color before it on the samples." Roman said. "We can do that if she wants, even if we have to paint over this to do it."

"Blah. No. There's no way this house is turning green while I'm here." Miru said.

"You don't like green much do you?" Roman asked.

"Definitely not for a house." Miru said. "Yuck."

"How did you guys even decide on this one cause of the fighting?" Roman asked.

"Flipped a coin. Coin contest. I picked heads and that's what it landed on was heads. So I won." Miru said giggling.

"Your mom was probably "I picked heads not you" kinda tone." Roman said.

"Nope." Miru laughed as they finished back there for the moment. "The more we bickered, meaning argued, I told her that I was gonna tell you to go with your idea and "make it orange" if it didn't stop."

"I did say that didn't I?" Roman laughed.

"And I kept telling my mom that. Told her I was gonna tell you that if it didn't stop." Miru said, still laughing. "But she didn't like that idea."

"How about pink?" Roman grinned.

"Oh I was gonna tell you Hot Pink instead since she didn't like the "orange" idea." Miru grinned back.

"We can do that too, even if we have to paint over this." Roman said, still laughing.

"Okay. Get your aunt on the phone and tell her that and we'll get started. But I'll only go so far up the ladder for that." Miru giggled some more.

"Really?" Roman asked laughing.

"Yeah. But our luck my mom would probably kill us." Miru said laughing.

"Probably. But it would be fun while it lasted." Roman said laughing.

"Not for me. Cause I'd probably be first before she got you guys." Miru chuckled.

"Yeah, well, you are her kid and it was originally your idea." Roman said.

"I know." Miru said as Roman went to try wiping cocking on her shoulder to mess with her while trying to get it off his fingers in the process, before heading in to the yard and brushing it off as best he could in the grass. "Man you have that everywhere cause it's in your hair too, at least on that side of your head anyway."

"Really?" Roman asked.

"Yeah. Here. Let me get the hose on and we'll clean your hands off, and then we'll try to get that out of your hair too. Come here and we'll hose you down." Miru said. 

"I'm good. If you're gonna spray any of us with the hose, then spray Elmer." Roman said as he started giggling.

"What did I do?" Elmer asked.

"You didn't do anything. Just ignore him." Miru said.

"Okay." Elmer giggled.

"She was gonna spray me with the hose." Roman said. "Told her to spray you instead before she said that."

"Well you have cocking all over you like you were playing in it instead of putting it on the house. What did you do?" Miru said as Elmer and Jim noticed it just by looking at them.

"She's right. What did you do?" Elmer said.

"Yeah. What did you do?" Jim said.

"I don't know. But she was gonna spray me with the hose cause of it." Roman said.

"What? Do you not trust me with a hose?" Miru asked.

"I'm sure you'd soak me." Roman said grinning.

"Yeah well, you kinda need it, but whatever. Suit yourself man." Miru, Jim, and Elmer said.

"Better wash up good tonight when you get home then." Miru said.

Miru went further and up onto the porch to cool down and rest for a minute, and helped a bit, while Roman put facia around the top of the poles on the porch, before she went back around with the magnet, even on the porch. Miru's mom came down at one point, to check on it, while Miru was in the middle of picking up gear, and so her mom could go run the errands she needed to do, as Miru took more gear to the back of the truck.

"Uh oh. You in trouble now. The old bag is here." Miru's grandpa said as her mom was almost to the cement steps.

"Hey." Miru's mom said.

"Huh." Roman said. "Now I know where she gets it from."

"Thank you." Miru's mom said as Miru was heading back to the porch to finish helping Roman before going around the small retaining wall at her house with the magnet to finish for now.

"Now what did I do?" Miru asked as she climbed up to the porch.

"Nothing." Roman said as he pointed towards her grandpa. "I just figured out who taught you everything you know, that's all."

"Yeah, well, the only reason I learned everything I know from him is because he had to watch me all the time when I was younger." Miru said and then lowered her voice. "Cause my dad's side of the family are worse than all this and never wanted to watch me, let alone have anything to do with me. That's why."

"Oh." Roman whispered.

"No shocking yourself or anything today?" Miru's mom hollered.

"So far so good." Miru said. "And I came prepared."

"She has been. Band aids and all. And that hurt and I scared myself when I did that." Roman said. "Scared your daughter the worst."

"Well no wonder. She said you weren't responding to the hollers that they had Jim go over and check on you." Miru's mom and grandpa said.

"Yup. I know better now." Roman said.

"First time getting shocked?" Miru's grandpa asked.

"Oh no." Roman said. "I've done that before too, but that was the worst one."

"You guys are crazy." Miru's mom said.

"Nope. Just this one." Miru said.

"I am not." Roman said.

"Are too." Elmer and Jim hollered while laughing.

"What you want Mom?" Miru asked.

"Just checking it out. Looking really good." Miru's mom said. "You're sunburned by the way. And getting freckles."

"I am not. And I just put on sunscreen for crying out loud." Miru said.

"What she said. And she said that you told her to tell us we weren't allowed back in the truck until you two made sure it was completely done." Roman said laughing as he came over beside Miru to talk to them for a bit and put facia up around the top of the next pole, that was also beside Miru, but also to put facia up around the windows on the side of the house that the air conditioner and electric box are on as well.

"Not like that, but yes." Miru's mom said back.

"And you better like this, cause Topaz, our off tan log cabin color here, ain't going anywhere. Otherwise we're getting on Roman's phone and calling his aunt and telling her that we're gonna paint over all this Topaz with Hot Pink." Miru hollered to her.

"I don't think so. And I do like it." Miru's mom said.

"I heard you wanted Meadow, the green color before it on the samples." Roman said giggling.

"Roman......NO!!!!" Miru said.

"I did. She wouldn't let me. I'm liking this though." Miru's mom said.

"Pff. So she says." Miru mumbled.

"I heard that." Miru's mom said back.

"No you didn't." Miru said as Roman kept laughing.

"How did you guys even decide on this one instead?" Roman asked.

"I told you. Did a flip a coin contest. I picked heads, it landed on heads. So I won." Miru said laughing.

"That's not how we decided and you know it you little brat." Miru's mom said as Miru and Roman continued to laugh, while her mom and grandpa finally decided to head out.

"So did you 2 do a flip a coin contest or not?" Roman asked.

"No. We didn't. I was kidding. How we finally decided was, we were still "aah" between this and Meadow, and I flat out told her that not only is it not turning green, but that it had to be this one, or a color that we both could agree to, or no siding at all for at least a year." Miru said still leaning against the railing at the moment.

"Oooooooh." Roman said.

"Yup." Miru said. "That's what I told her. She said she was the one paying for the siding. Told her back "So what", and that this was how it was gonna work out or no siding at all for at least a year, and that this would somewhat give her her log cabin. So she finally gave into this one with me. So I won. Kid always wins. Hahaha."

"I'll say you won alright." Roman said laughing so hard. "Dang. Got feisty and bossy just to win a siding contest."

"Oh well." Miru said laughing back.

"So you're dad's side of the family are worse and such like you said huh?" Roman asked.

"Yeah. Plus, my dad's an idiot too. Don't ever meet that side of my family, and don't ever work for them either." Miru said.

"That bad huh?" Roman asked.

"Oh yeah. And my mom and him divorced too, that's why he ain't here, when I was like 5. Just turned 5. Something like that. And even then, still the same as he always was. And when he would take me on his weekends, he'd bring me back home later, sick as a dog, cause he wasn't feeding me, to the point where my sugar would drop so bad that I got that way." Miru said.

"Oh wow." Roman said shocked.

"Yup. My mom laid into him I don't know how many times about that, and then, when I was like 9 or so by then, maybe, and he came a couple days after Christmas and flipped out on me, to the point where I told him I never wanted to see him again. And I got my wish with that after that. Haven't seen him since. But I'm better off. For the best with it all." Miru said.

"I'll say." Roman said. "Wow."

"Yup." Miru said. "And I still don't get it with the way everyone else has been with our friendship that developed during all of this either."

"Neither do we." Roman said.

"If they think more than friendship for whatever reason in the process of whatever their problem is, it totally ain't like that. If so, you guys are like what my dad's side of the family should've been in the process of being my best friends. You dad, Elmer like a second grandpa, and Jim uncle, from that side, and the way they should've been, but nothing more than that/friends. That's it. All it is. Friends forever no matter what, and what my dad's side of the family should've been all along, and nothing more than all that." Miru said. 

"You really mean all of that with us girl?" Jim asked.

"I do." Miru said.

They were very touched by all of that from their new best friend as they finished up on the porch for the time being and headed back down to take lunch break. Miru finished real quick with the magnet and such before getting her lunch, after helping Roman get his fingers cleaned up again from all the cocking, by getting him a wet paper towel. Miru ate her lunch on the porch and then headed up to the others. As she got up to them and went in between the truck and the trailer, to sit on the flatbed of the trailer for a little bit til they were ready to get back to work, she noticed it was only Roman and Jim that were up there, and that Roman was sitting in an extra chair, that looked exactly the same as the one Jim had been borrowing from the garage, and looked at them really funny.

"What?" Roman asked.

"Where'd the other chair come from?" Miru asked, still looking at them funny.

"It was in your garage like the one Jim is sitting in. But here's the funny part. We just found it when moving around the rest of our equipment." Roman said while starting to laugh. "Why are they up here anyway, instead of using them on the porch for the time being instead of the lawn chairs?"

"They're from our old porch furniture. All of it was getting in bad shape too, plus with the porch itself at the time, and we were always wanting new for up there, especially now that we finally got the new front porch. I knew we had kept the one Jim is sitting in when we got rid of the old porch furniture, mainly cause my grandpa was still mowing the lawn for us at the time, before he couldn't do it anymore and we got our lawn care crew, and obviously nothing wrong with it either. But I didn't know that other one was there too." Miru said.

"Surprise." Roman said as he and Jim started a long burping contest after drinking pop.

"Still can't believe that you and your mom haven't heard from that guy about your furniture for the new porch." Jim said.

"Who is this guy anyway?" Roman asked.

"He's Amish too." Miru said.

"Uh oh." Roman said. "From where?"

"I don't know where he's from, compared to you, I just know where he works, which is in Boardman, Ohio at a place that lots of them work at. Most are the girls of course, but there's this guy, and a couple other guys in a couple of the other areas in the place too. It's actually in an old shopping plaza, old craft store or something, my mom said. It's got a couple bakeries, a candy store for Jim, a produce area, a restaurant, an area where you can buy meat, and another smaller area that you can get something to eat too, and all kinds of other stuff, along with this one's furniture. But at least half of the place is this one's furniture." Miru said. "Says Valley Marketplace on the sign and storefront, but for its website, which my mom and I also call it, Amish Market. One of the new places we wanted to go this year, and then did."

"Oh wow." Roman and Jim said. "When did you guys go and order the porch furniture from this one?"

"Second Friday of July." Miru said enthused. "And one of the pieces we wanted is a standard bench, that he originally makes in 4 feet, but we wanted it another foot longer, so 5 feet long, and has to be custom made cause of that."

"Oh, so like the other door project is, customized?" Roman asked.

"Yup." Miru said.

"You mean it's not a glider? Or a swing?" Roman asked.

"We get motion sick. Like you were doing to me yesterday when you were shifting on this thing. My mom just gets it worse than I do most of the time." Miru said as Roman let out a massive burp. "Do you feel better?"

"Do I feel better?" Roman asked as Miru and Jim just looked at him and shook their heads while he laughed. "Yes. That felt good."

"Glad to hear it." Miru said. "Anyway, that's why we didn't do a glider or swing. Plus it's what we were wanting to begin with regardless. Only pieces that move are the 2 rockers we got."

"What?" Roman asked. "I love them things. Swings more. They don't even bother me, ever, no matter how much they're moving."

"Well that's good that you don't have that issue and love them." Miru said. "We can't. I'm not too bad with rockers, as long as I'm the one making it rock if it's moving in the process. Otherwise I get motion sick too. Not as bad as my mom does, but I do. And I never liked gliders much either. This one's daughter said that she's the same way, gets motion sick, so she can relate to us. She said that she'll be sitting on a glider with someone, and they get it going, and that she has to clamp her foot down to make it stop, and will even make the face of "stop it" too. And they told us like 4-6 weeks or so for it, then we went two weeks ago tomorrow so my grandparents and aunts could get some new porch furniture too, and he told us then, maybe last week at some point at the earliest, and then we took a family friend last weekend, but we didn't go see him that time, just walked around the building."

"Ouch." Roman said.

"Yup to it all. Still in Boardman. We think the bench is the holdup, but sheesh. Just be glad you don't have that issue with motion sickness. Cause it is not fun. I'm surprised you don't get it just a little bit when answering your phone while riding in the truck, like, while the truck is moving." Miru said.

"Cause I don't have that problem. Ever. And I'm so used to it." Roman said, and then started looking around. "Elmer does know it's lunchtime right? Where the heck is he? You know where he's at George? You see him before you came up here?" 

"Mm mm." Miru said and shook her head. "Wasn't my turn to watch him. I thought he was up here when I first came up, but he wasn't. Thought maybe he ate already since he didn't come up then either."

All 3 of them started hollering for Elmer, to tell him it was lunchtime and where he was and such, for a couple minutes or so, before he finally heard them and started coming over, mostly to get more gear at the time.

"Elmer!!!!" Miru yelled. "Yo!!!! Hey Elmer!!!!"

"What?!!!!?" Elmer hollered back.

"It's lunchtime!" Roman hollered. "What are you doing?!!?"

"I already ate while still doing your job!" Elmer said.

"Ooooooh." Miru said as she looked at Roman.

"Mm. Okay. I see how it is. He better watch out." Roman whispered as Miru continued to laugh. "Since when is it my job anyway?"

"Cause all of this is under your name, not his, checks made out to you included." Miru giggled.

"Knew that would come outta you." Roman said.

"Hey. You walked yourself into that one." Miru and Jim said.

The 3 of them headed back down to Elmer to start getting back to hopefully finishing today, no matter how much longer it took to do it, and split up into sections, as Miru's mom got back from her errands. Miru went around and doubled checked with the magnet again for now, as Jim went to put the rungs on the railing for the new back steps into place, while Elmer went to start getting the roof finished, and Roman finished the porch real quick with what little bit was left to do up there.

"Hey George." Jim hollered from the back steps. "Can you help me a minute?"

"What's up Jim?" Miru asked as she headed up the driveway to him.

"You able to hold these in place while I get them on and in place here?" Jim asked. "You can stand on the steps if you need to."

"Yeah sure. I can do that. Not a problem at all." Miru said with a smile.

"Thank you." Jim said.

"No problem." Miru said. "Makes it easier anyway when you do it this way."

"Yes it does." Jim said.

"Did he just call you George a minute or two ago?" Miru's mom asked as she came up to see, before heading in the house.

"Go back down to the porch and ask Roman about that Mom. Cause he started it." Miru said. "And yes, I ate lunch already. We all just did."

"Okay." Miru's mom said as she watched her daughter helping, like she had been, and thought she never would help with stuff like this, and would only help pay for it to happen.

"Looking good Boss. Having fun?" Roman said grinning as he came up the driveway to get some more gear to finish the porch.

"We're good." Miru said grinning back.

"Your mom like em?" Roman asked.

"Better than the last set of steps." Miru's mom said. "What's in your hair?"

"Cocking." Miru said. "We don't know what the heck he did, but he looks like he was playing in it. He has it everywhere. He even had to wipe his fingers off a couple times too."

"Geez. You guys really know how to get down and dirty don't ya?" Miru's mom said.

"Well he does." Miru said.

"We were gonna put the old railing back on for ya, but she yelled at us and told us not to do that and to do this instead for the railing on them." Roman said giggling.

"I didn't yell at you with that. I just said "Don't bother" cause "the old railing scared me". There's a difference to it dude." Miru said.

"Yeah. I'd prefer you guys didn't do that." Miru's mom said as Miru and Jim finished the railing and then high-fived each other, before Miru headed back to the porch with Roman to check up on that, while Miru's mom went inside.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Miru went back to the porch to check up on that while Roman went to finish up around the other couple poles, while Jim started to clean up a bit, as Elmer went to start finishing up the last part of the roof, which was the hardest part of the roof to do.

"Wanna come help me?" Elmer asked Miru before starting to laugh a little bit.

"I'm good. I think I'll stay right here. And if my mom saw me from the kitchen window, we're all busted." Miru said.

"Okay." Elmer smiled as he headed the rest of the way up there. "Good idea too."

"Did he literally just ask you to help him?" Roman asked.

"Yup." Miru said.

"Elmer!!!!!!" You need help?!!!!!!?" Roman asked.

"Hey yo Elmer!!!!!!!" Miru yelled.

"What?!!!!?" Elmer asked.

"You need help?!!!!!!!!?" Roman asked.

"I'm good at the moment I think. Just getting her." Elmer said.

"Okay!!!!" Roman hollered.

"Sounds to me like he's afraid of heights too." Miru said.

"No." Roman said back to her. "He's gunshy of going on a roof, no matter where at on the roof it is."

"Oh?" Miru asked. "So he is somewhat afraid of heights then?"

"No. He's not afraid of heights. He's gunshy of the roof. He doesn't like to do roofs too much. But he's not afraid of heights, like you are." Roman said.

"Wait a sec. If he's not afraid of heights, like I am, then, why is he gunshy of the roof, not like to do roofs too much I mean?" Miru asked.

"Cause one of the recent houses we did, this one in Pittsburgh too...." Roman said.

"You mean one of the 2 roof projects you were doing before all of this with us?" Miru asked.

"You got it." Roman said. "And it was down in Pittsburgh. And the reason why he's like that now is cause he fell off the roof of that one."

"Oh no." Miru said.

"Yup. One second, he's coming up with me, right behind me, next thing I knew, I heard him let out a yell, turned around to check on him and such, and down he goes." Roman said.

"Oh no. Did he get hurt too?" Miru asked.

"No he didn't get hurt, but he was pretty shaken up." Roman said. "All of that is why he's like that with roofs now. But he's not afraid of heights like you are."

"That's kinda why I'm so afraid of heights. Not just cause of being so high up, but also cause I'm scared of moving wrong and falling down and getting badly hurt." Miru said.

"So you haven't been on the roof yet then?" Roman asked.

"Unless stepping on it and walking across it, and slipping on it at times cause of being wet from the rain, while it's laying in the yard waiting to be used, counts, otherwise no, I haven't been on the roof. And unless something happens that I have to get out of the house and that's the only way to go, I don't ever plan to go on the roof just because I want to either. All cause of what I just said about heights with me." Miru said.

"Martha and Noah, my 3 year old and 5 year old, Martha the oldest, they have been on the roof already." Roman said giggling, but shaking his head more than anything.

"Wait. What? Seriously?" Miru asked shocked.

"Yeah. Thank goodness my wife was home." Roman said still shaking his head. "I don't remember if we were doing your house by then or what, but it was recently, and we were out working, and we had a guy come over to clean the chimney for us."

"You mean a chimney sweep?" Miru asked.

"Yup. One of those. And whenever it was, that he was on the roof, he later on heard the ladder make a funny noise, wind was blowing a bit too though, but when he turned around and looked, here come my 3 and 5 year olds, Martha and Noah, up on the roof." Roman said shaking his head even more.

"Aaaah!" Miru said back. "Did Ella, your wife, go up there too?"

"Oh no. But she went running after them screaming at them to get down when they climbed up there. The chimney sweep politely told them to just go back down to Mommy and said that they could sit on the ladder and watch if they wanted to as long as they stayed off the roof." Roman said.

"They slip like you did too?" Miru asked.

"Surprisingly no." Roman said stunned while still shaking his head. "How, I don't know. Got home from work, Ella told me about it...."

"They got their butts beat right?" Miru asked.

"No. They didn't get their butts beat, but boy were they in trouble. I'm waiting for the day that they not only do it again, but that the baby follows." Roman said shaking his head.

"Well, we all know where they learned that from." Miru said and pointed right to Roman. "Daddy!"

"Woah. Hang on. I didn't teach them to do that." Roman said.

"There's only one other person in that household that's been on that roof, that they also obviously saw up there." Miru said. "And that's you."

"Well yes. That all is true. But I didn't teach them to do that in the process of them watching me put that roof on." Roman said as Miru just looked at him and cleared her throat. "Thinking about maybe going after your driver's license now? Or are you still scared?"

"Still scared. I would like to, so that I could if I had to and such, but after that, I'm scared to death. Might have to get it to come over for the buggy ride offer though, and to overcome my fear too hopefully, cause who knows if I'll ever get it otherwise, especially this year, with, you know what I mean." Miru said.

"True. And sometimes you just have to learn to face your fears and get over it anyway at some point too. But you are right. And I can't blame you for being scared. But you have to do it sometime." Roman said. "That's what I did with everything I've ever gone through, especially the past couple years with what I said about with our wrecks in the process of everything else. Same for when I learned how to back a truck and that up to help Jim."

"Oh, speaking of that, we've been telling people we know about that, starting with my mom telling my grandma about it on the phone, and everybody has laughed and such, but my mom said that you ain't no Amish when you drive a truck and do that." Miru said laughing.

"You guys aren't ever gonna let me live that down now are you?" Roman asked giggling.

"Nope." Miru laughed. "Why? Were we supposed to?"

"Okay." Roman said grinning. "You just wait."

"Oh no." Miru giggled.

They worked well into dinner time with what more was left to finish. Miru was starting to get hungry, but was able to fight it for a little while longer, as she and Roman finished the porch and headed back down. Miru grabbed a bunch of gear that she could, to take to the truck, while Roman went up to the trailer to get more nails, screws, bolts, etc, for touchups, and helping Elmer, before they started cleaning the windows from the dirty vinel, and checking around, before finishing up and cleaning up, and finally being done, other than the other door project when it was ready.

Miru told Roman to go up ahead of her, since she almost smacked him with the gear she grabbed to take to the truck, and she would follow him up there. As Miru got up to the truck, she stood up higher to get it all in there, and then lowered herself back into a normal standing position. As Miru got herself lowered back down into a normal standing position, her bad ankle, gave out on her and buckled, and then started twisting on her again, like it did every day off and on, along with hurting off and on, since 6th grade, when she sprained it the second time.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Miru yelled as her bad ankle did that.

Miru threw her arms out, trying to keep balance, before grabbing hold of the back of the truck with her left hand, and gripping the right corner as hard as she could, as she kept falling towards the yard and the trailer, and almost tumbled into the yard, while muscles and everything started pulling, and almost popping too, as she thought she was at least gonna sprain the ankle for a 3rd time in her life, while doing a good bit of more damage in the process, with all that was happening, as she continued to try to get stopped.

Miru managed to hang on to the right corner of the truck long enough to finally get her right foot shifted and clamped down into the standing position, and get stopped. Thank goodness she was still on the driveway behind the truck, hanging onto it, and didn't fall into the trailer or the yard, and didn't scare Roman in the process, since he was thankfully still in the trailer getting what he needed at the moment when it happened. Thank goodness for it all.

Miru grabbed for her bad ankle for a sec, since it hurt, before hopping on her good foot, while still holding the truck, to get turned around, and heading down the driveway to the new back steps to sit for a bit cause of it. Miru looked towards the yard, where Elmer was getting the rest of the facia, that needed done, ready to go, when she started getting turned around, and saw his reaction, and knew he not only heard her yell and saw it, but also felt bad. Then she saw Jim's reaction, from over by the new back steps, when she got completely turned around and started heading that way, and knew it was the exact same reaction as Elmer's.

Miru started limping a sec just to see, mainly cause her bad ankle was really aching by then, and then squealed and stopped, and grabbed for it and the back of her leg again, and then started rubbing the back of her leg, just above her heal, and breathing very hard, not only cause it hurt so bad, but also to keep the really bad swear word on the tip of her tongue held back enough to swallow it, just as Roman finally came out of the trailer, and saw her hunched over in pain, rubbing the back of her leg, but didn't know what happened, let alone that it was her.

"Mm. Uh. Mmmm. Come on. Loosen up. Come on. Mm." Miru winced.

"What in the world you do?" Roman asked as he came up along the left side of Miru and looked down at her.

"Uh. My stupid bad ankle, gave out, thankfully after, I got all that gear I had, into the truck, and then, it buckled and twisted on me, and something, popped in the bottom of my foot, and hurts like a pulled muscle, with my ankle aching in the process too. Hoping it loosens up, after rubbing it like this, for bit. Just give me a minute." Miru said still breathing hard, before it pinched again for a split second. "Mmmm. Uh."

"Takes your breath away doesn't it?" Roman asked.

"Well I'm also trying to hold back the swear word that's on the edge of my tongue too." Miru said as she was starting to draw slower breaths and swallowed again. "Never mind. Just swallowed it. Thank goodness. Hoo."

"What cuss word was that?" Roman asked laughing a little bit and messing with Miru.

"Starts with an F and rhymes with suck and truck. And it's a very bad one. One that you never want to hear. And that's all I'm gonna tell you. Cause I'm not saying it, especially now that I swallowed it and everything else finally." Miru said, still rubbing the back of her leg.

"Mother trucker!" Jim said as Miru shot shocked looks between him and Roman. "Something like that?"

"Yeah pretty much." Miru said, finally standing up and flexing her leg every which way to at least see if the pulled muscle(s) were loose enough to start at least trying to move. "Only it was an F that the second word started with."

"Uh oh." Jim said.

"Like I said, I just finally swallowed it, so it's not coming out now. Don't worry." Miru said.

"What was it?" Roman asked, still messing with Miru a little bit as much as possible.

"Like all I just said about it. Ask Jim. He knows. It's a bad one." Miru said.

"Staying out of it." Jim giggled as Miru rubbed it one last time before slowly walking, for the moment, to the new back steps and sitting down on them for a little bit.

"Are you okay?" Roman asked. "You need help? You said something popped in the bottom of your foot in the process of all that."

"It's alright. Thank you. I'll be okay. I can walk. It just hurts. That's all. Thank you though." Miru said with a smile.

"You're welcome." Roman said. "Just say so if you need it, even with going in the house, and we'll get ya. Just sit down on them new back steps for now to get off it for a bit."

"I will. Thank you." Miru smiled as she did as requested, which was what she was gonna do anyway, since she needed to with it hurting.

"You're welcome." Roman smiled back.

Miru walked around on it for a little bit while Roman and Jim finished the new back steps real quick before she could get off her foot. Miru didn't mind since she needed to walk around on it for a bit and see about it anyway. Miru got some more gear to take to the truck, and stood on only her good foot as best as possible, when standing up higher, cause her ankle was still aching some, as she continued to fight through it and help for a little while longer.

As Miru continued to do that at the moment, Roman went back to the other side of the house to put the fixed up screen for the window back up, and do touch ups over there, and hollered for a water bottle. Miru got the water bottle and headed over as best she could, and asked Roman if he was ready for her to toss it up to him. Roman turned around and put his hands up and told Miru that he was ready and motioned for her to toss it up to him. Miru moved her arm back and forth to get ready and tossed it to him, without jumping this time cause of her bad ankle, and missed and had to go look for it and try again. Miru did it the same way again, but still missed and had to do it all a 3rd time, as it smacked the air conditioner that time.

"I'm sorry. I'm trying. Odd angle this time. And my arm is off today now too." Miru said.

"It's okay." Roman said as the jerk neighbors with the fence let their stupid dog out, and it came running over to the side of the fence near them and started viciously barking. Nobody in the neighborhood liked them or the dog, and now, neither did Miru's new friends too. "Just watch that dog doesn't jump the fence there, cause we've seen it try a few times when they've let it out while we're here."

"Oh shut up and go away!!!!" Miru yelled to the dog as it continued to bark at them like it was, before one of the neighbors called it back, and then Miru turned back to Roman with the water bottle to try for a 3rd time. "I hate that dog!!!!"

"Hate to say it, but I'm not too fond of it either. Which is a shame, cause I have a dog too, and I love dogs." Roman said as Miru tried the final time to get the water bottle to him, but decided to jump this time to see if that would help.

"Same. And what's worse is every one of my neighbors are like that with them over here." Miru said as the water bottle finally made it to Roman. Miru felt the pulled muscle(s) give on her again as she jumped. She grabbed for it for a sec after she landed from the jump. "Mm. That was good on a pulled muscle. That was stupid."

"No wonder the way that dog is." Roman said. "You pulled a muscle?!!!!!!!!!!!!!? Is that what you just said?!!!!!!?"

"Yeah. But I think it happened when my ankle did what it did when you were still in the trailer and I was putting all that gear in the truck. Cause stuff pulled and everything in the process too, from the bottom of my foot on up my leg into the back of my knee. Hence the muscle pop later too when I got stopped. But nothing is sprained or broke. Just pulled, and aching ankle." Miru said as she started heading back towards the middle of her yard, limping a bit.

"That's still not good. Period." Roman said as he finished over there with the touch ups and headed down to go to the driveway side of the house for the touch ups there, before helping Elmer. "Are you alright? Sure you don't need help?"

"I will be fine eventually. Just have to fight it as much as I can until it's better. All I can do." Miru said with a smile as she continued to limp through the yard to get back to the back steps. "It's been like this for years. Doing what it did to me today. Or just hurting. Nothing much I can really do about it, cause I have to live with it regardless."

"True. But you're limping. So it must be hurting pretty good." Roman said as they reached the back steps. "Here. Sit down and get off it."

Roman started grabbing some of the tools and such that were still sitting there on them, as was Miru, to help him get it all moved, until they were good enough to pack it all up, and get her to get off her foot/leg for a bit, by sitting down.

"You want some of that sawdust brushed off too before you sit down?" Roman asked.

"It's fine. We can get it later. And it's easier to brush off than the dog's fur is. Don't worry about it til later." Miru said with a smile as they started to get her sat down. "Thank you."

"Oh, by the way, speaking of that, I forgot to mention, after I gave Ellen the teddy bear, Ella, my wife, read your "Thank you note" for us. She thought it was really nice. So did I. We liked it." Roman said with a smile. "Thank you for it."

"Oh you're welcome." Miru said back with a smile, as she went to get settled on the back steps for now, and then cringed. "She didn't find it odd or anything?"

"Nope. She was fine with it and really liked it. So did the rest of us. And Ellen loves her teddy bear." Roman said.

"That's good. I'm glad. Still can't believe that Ellen hugged that, and so quick too." Miru said giggling, as she smacked her left leg off of the handle on Roman's electric saw, and made it start bruising as it hurt in the process too, while finishing getting settled on the back steps for now. "Ow."

"I knew Ellen was gonna like that, but I wasn't expecting that either." Roman said. "You okay by the way?"

"Yeah." Miru winced. "I'm okay. Smacked your saw and made a bruise on my other leg this time. Not as bad as my right leg/foot and what I did with that one, cause pulled muscles are worse than bruises."

"Ouch." Roman said. "And very true. When you put all that gear in the truck like you said, it just gave out and twisted on you? Your ankle? And it's done that for years?"

"Yup." Miru said as she rubbed both legs for a minute.

"Is that what happened when you were up at the truck doing that and then yelled and bent over holding your leg and such?" Jim asked as he came around the corner. "Twisted your ankle?"

"Yup. And I even had to grab hold of the back of the truck just to get stopped. Cause it twisted so bad that I almost fell. And I was heading for the trailer and the yard when I almost did that. Thank God Roman was still in the trailer at the time, cause if I had went down, even if he didn't fall too, I could've ran into him, could've fell into the trailer somehow and scared him, or, I could've at least rolled into the yard, like I really almost did." Miru said. "I sprained it twice as a kid, second time much worse, and both times then, I twisted it like that, but actually did fall down. And since the second time, it's ached off and on at times, so I probably have arthritis in it. What it feels like anyway, but cause of my age we can't really tell for sure right now. And if it's not doing that, then at some point, no matter what I do, it'll give out and twist on me. But it's never done it that bad since the second sprain. Thought that was gonna be sprain number 3, with the pulled muscle(s) and such added to it. Done it for years. Have to deal with it regardless."

"Ew." Roman said. "Need to take better care of yourself there girl."

"I'm trying." Miru said back.

"Definitely might need your chiropractor now." Roman said. "Or do they not do that far down?"

"It depends on where your muscles are out at as to whether they do that far or not." Miru said. "And I'm fine. I'll be okay. If I start feeling that way, I'll get an appointment. Thanks for thinking of me like that."

"You're welcome." Roman said. "Still glad you're okay from Tuesday when I accidentally hit you in the head with that piece of siding. With your neck and back and such, and not needing to go to the chiropractor I mean. You had me worried when you were dazed like that."

"Yeah try explaining that and this just now today to my chiropractor." Miru said giggling and smiling. "It's okay. I'm fine, and hopefully within a few days, this will heal too. And it was an accident and you didn't mean to do that. It's okay. It happens. And nothing we could do anyway, even when you did say "Heads up!", cause it was already coming down and hitting me before I definitely could've reacted and jumped underneath you or something to avoid it. And I understand that you didn't mean to do that. It's okay."

"No. I really didn't mean to do that to you. Slipped about the time your half of it did." Roman said. 

"I'm glad you guys warned me, but even then, it didn't do no good anyway, cause it was already coming down and hitting me before I could react." Miru said. "But it's okay. I'm fine." 

"That's good." Roman said as he started touch ups beside her, and then worked with rest of that side of the house with the touch ups.

A couple times, Roman needed a tool handed to him, but was nervous when asking Miru if she could get it for him, cause of her foot/leg. Miru would go to get up, but on only her good foot at first, but then would decide to sit back down, and let Roman get the stuff, when he said so. A little bit later, Roman's phone started ringing in his toolbelt, and Miru hopped up to get it for him, since he didn't have the toolbelt on, but struggled a bit to get up, to the point where she winced a little bit.

"Woah. No no. It's okay George. Let it go to voicemail and I'll get it later." Roman said to stop her and let her rest some more.

"Are you sure?" Miru asked. "Cause I'm up now and can get it for you."

"It's fine. I can get it later. No biggie. Thank you though. Appreciate it. But it's okay. I can get it later. Don't worry about it. Just leave it there and get off that foot of yours." Roman said.

"Okay. And no problem. I need to get up for a little bit anyway." Miru said with a smile.

"Okay. Just be careful." Roman said back with a smile.

"I will." Miru said as she walked around a bit and stretched and such, before grabbing the railing and leaning forward on it and really stretching her leg.

"What are you doing George?" Roman and Jim asked.

"You alright? Or is your foot hurting too bad, compared to what you thought?" Roman asked.

"Trying to stretch the pulled muscle(s) and see if that helps a bit. Not as bad as it was now, but still there a little bit. Ankle aching hasn't let up much though. I don't know what to do about that." Miru said.

"Get an ankle brace or something probably." Jim said.

"Pff. Yeah. Might have to." Miru said as Roman went to start helping Elmer.

"Sure you're okay?" Roman asked.

"I can fight it for a little bit longer. It'll be ok. I promise. I'll be fine." Miru said as she moaned a bit after stretching it one last time before smiling. "Go on and help Elmer finish up there real quick. Jim's got me. I'll help him as much as I can. He's got me."

"Okay." Roman smiled back as he headed for Elmer.

Miru stood and watched and did what she could. After Elmer was able to climb down while Roman finished it up with what was left, Miru walked over and hollered up that she was gonna go inside and eat, and help her mom with cleaning up in there for a little bit, and to come get her if they needed her for something while she was doing that. They agreed and let her, so she wouldn't get sick/in trouble, and thought maybe she would get some ice on at least her ankle while she ate dinner. She never did get ice on at least her ankle, not so much cause of not telling her mom, let alone yet, but with all of this, she didn't have time to get ice on at least her ankle anyway right now. After dinner and cleaning up, Miru's new friends were still finishing up real quick with the final things they and her mom checked on, and the rest of vinel cleaning. Miru's mom got started with running the vacuum cleaner to clean up dirt and dust that had fallen again while the work was being done/finished, and told Miru to let her know when they were about ready to go, so she could say goodbye and thank them for all of this that they did for them, so Miru went out to check for a sec, but then helped finish cleaning up, along with getting the magnet for the last time.

They got everything packed up and double checked real quick, before getting the rest of the pieces of roofing, that weren't used, and taking them to the trailer and getting the garage locked up. Miru had told them to let her know when they were about ready to go so she could go get her mom, and they told her by this time to go ahead and get her mom. Miru did so while they got the trailer hooked up real quick, and then they waited by the back steps for Miru's mom to come outside from upstairs, as Jim started getting the truck moved out of the driveway.

"Thank you Roman." Miru's mom and grandpa said as Miru went to get the checks for him from her and her mom with splitting the final payment for all of this.

"Oh you're welcome guys. No problem." Roman said back as he shook hands with Miru's mom and grandpa when Miru came back with the checks. "You two can write one of them out for $400 less than what we originally said about too. That's how much I got back for not using all that siding, so you guys can have that much back to use for whatever."

"Oh? You guys didn't use it all?" Miru's mom asked.

"Nope." Roman and Miru said.

Miru came down the steps to the driveway and handed Roman the checks, looking sad. Roman thought it was cause she twisted her ankle, and was hurting with all that, and couldn't do much more after that, and felt bad about it, minus the fact that she had to eat and such anyway, but when she handed him the checks and he looked at them, he realized it was about the money instead. 

"We already have the amounts on them that my mom and I agreed to paying." Miru said feeling bad. "And I knew we didn't use all the siding, but I didn't know about this." 

"She told me earlier today about you guys paying like this with the final payment here too, but I didn't know that you guys had the amounts on them already." Roman said.

"Yeah. We did." Miru said, still looking sad. "Why didn't you just tell me when you took the rest of that siding with you on Wednesday and got the refund? I would've told my mom right away to write hers for that much less." 

"Well, it was supposed to be like this now with today, and be a surprise for you two like I just did." Roman said. "I just didn't know you guys had the amounts on them already. Let alone what you two even planned on paying. I just knew what you told me today with how you were paying it. I'll get it for you. Hang on. Hopefully I can get Jim to stop the truck a minute to get it for you."

"Oh, Roman!" Miru said. "You don't have to do that in return, for everything I've done for you guys in return, after helping us like you did. It's okay. Thank you though. But you really don't have to do that."

"Yes I do. And I want to. It's only fair. I'll be right back." Roman said and smiled as he headed to the truck. Miru and her mom loved that gesture regardless, including just telling Miru that, and smiled and let him give them the $400 back to use for whatever now. 

"We're keeping him and his family forever with this." Miru said to herself, and then whispered it to her mom a second or so later.

"It'll be them from now on regardless anyway." Miru's mom whispered back.

"Wait, you forgot yours from me too." Miru's grandpa said as Roman turned and started heading for the truck to get Miru and her mom the $400 to give back to them for the siding, that they could now use for whatever. 

Roman came back and took it and looked at it as he started heading back to the truck to get that. When Roman saw it was not only what he told Miru's grandpa for new steps at his place, but also the $400 he wanted to give back to Miru and her mom, for what all he said about with it, he came back and started giving them that check instead and said why and such, since he didn't have to go get it now.

"No. Take it. It's for you anyway. It's yours." Miru's grandpa said.

"He thinks that's fair Dad. And it is fair. And polite and everything." Miru's mom said.

"Got a pen I can borrow a sec to sign it over to you guys?" Roman asked. "Cause unfortunately I don't have one on me."

"It's okay Roman. Got ya covered. I'll get ya one. One sec." Miru said and went and got the pen and then tossed it down the steps to him.

"Miranda!!" Miru's mom and grandpa said as Roman almost dropped it with the way he tried to catch it.

"She's fine. What we do a lot. And she's gotten good at that." Roman said. "Her aiming and catching still needs a little bit of work, but the throwing has gotten good."

"Well, I've never been that good at catching. Probably never will get good at that portion." Miru said giggling as Roman signed her grandpa's check over to her and her mom and then handed it and the pen back to Miru, before Miru passed the check to her mom.

"She needs it more than I do." Miru said when Roman looked at her funny for handing it to her mom. "She can have it all."

"Good girl." Roman said smiling.

"She raised me right." Miru said smiling back.

"She sure did." Roman said.

"Thank you Roman." Miru's mom said as they shook hands with each other, while Miru went back down the steps to the driveway and around the railing to the yard, after checking around them, and to say goodbye to her new friends and thank them for all of this. Miru shook hands with Roman when she got down the steps, before she yanked on his arm and pulled him towards her, as she took a couple steps toward him in the process, and wrapped him in a big hug to really thank him for everything. Miru didn't cry, but she wanted to, as Roman crouched to her level some, and returned the hug, and rubbed Miru's back and shoulders a little bit to keep her calm. Miru looked back up at her new best friend and smiled. Roman smiled back at his new little friend.

"Aww." Miru's grandpa said.

"Boy, she's gonna miss you." Miru's mom said.

"Promise you'll find ways to stay in touch with at least me." Miru said. "Please."

"Well, you have to help with that in the process you know." Roman giggled.

"I know. And I'll try my best." Miru said. "As long as I'm allowed with you, no matter how I do it."

"You can. I allow you. Rest of my family would too. You're allowed if you want. You can." Roman said.

"Yes." Miru said as she went over to Elmer in the yard and said goodbye to him the same way she just did with Roman. "You don't mind that do you? What Roman and I just said, with staying in touch with at least me and such?"

"Yes you can." Elmer smiled.

"Watch, she's a hugger." Miru's mom said giggling.

"Oh that's alright." Elmer smiled as they started to head down the driveway to get in the truck and head home. "Thank you for all that extra backup and such in return."

"Yes thank you for all that." Roman said.

"Oh. You're welcome. No problem. I was having fun the whole time." Miru said smiling.

Roman came back over and said goodbye and shook hands with them again real quick before he headed down to them, went back to Miru last again, and was pulled into another smaller hug by her.

"Must be your favorite." Miru's mom and grandpa, and Roman said.

"I told you it goes Roman, Elmer, Jim." Miru said laughing. "You're a good person and friend, especially after all of this, and I wouldn't trade that for anything else in the world. Rest of your family too, even though they don't know me. You guys are amazing."

"Aww. Thank you George." Roman said smiling and touched.

"You're welcome. And thank you." Miru said smiling as they parted ways after the very long exhausting day.

Miru and her mom got finished up with cleaning up in the house and settled in for the rest of the evening. Miru went to get Dottie, while her mom started getting a snack and ready for bed. Then Miru started getting ready for bed. When Miru finished in the bathroom, and started heading for her room, to go to bed, as her mom went in, to finish getting ready to go to bed, Miru's mom noticed the swollen and bruised area, on the back of her left leg, from when she smacked her left leg, off of the handle of Roman's electric saw, when she sat down on the new back steps, to get off her right foot/leg, after twisting her ankle, and pulling muscles and such when it did that.

"You got a massive bruise on the back of your left leg girl. What did you do?" Miru's mom asked. "What did you hit that off of?"

Miru played stupid, so that her mom didn't know she sat in all that sawdust, but told her about her ankle and such, and said she might've hit the truck when she twisted it.

"Mm. Yeah you could've. And just didn't know you did it." Miru's mom said back. "Better watch it. Looks like it hurts too." 

"I'm fine. I'll be okay. Ankle and pulled muscle(s) are worse than that is. And it only hurts to touch it, at least at the moment." Miru said as she headed to her room and went to bed.

"Just take it easy. Especially tomorrow." Miru's mom said.

"You know I'm gonna after doing that. But I wasn't expecting that bruise with it." Miru said as she laid down and went to sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Miru got up on Saturday and helped her mom with cleaning up a bit, but outside this time, but took it really easy with being sore from her ankle injury, with the pulled muscle included with it. Sid came back to pick her up and take her back to his house, and get ready to finish development camp, not long after lunch. In a few weeks, training camp and preseason would be getting underway. Miru couldn't wait for the season to get started and neither could Sid and the team. Miru updated Sid the whole time the house repairs were going on, and gave him permission to let the rest of the team know about it too, and let him know everything about the last day. 

Sid asked Miru how the last day went, just before Miru decided to go in the house, and get dinner and such real quick, and updated him back and forth with it all, until she went to bed. Sid told her to rest and take it easy, but Miru really couldn't with doing this and getting ready to go back. Sid let her go back to her house and stay there for a while, not only for a vacation, but also cause she was helping pay for it all, but also with being her house too. When they were done with the packing, they headed on their way to Sid's house.

"I have a surprise for you Miru." Sid said as he handed Miru a newspaper and told her to look at the front page when they got to his house and got parked, since she gets motion sick trying to read something like that in the car. 

When they finally reached Sid's house and got parked, Miru looked at the newspaper where he told her to look at it. It was about the Broadway production of The Lion King at The Benedum Center in Pittsburgh. The one playing Rafiki had gotten injured and was gonna be out the whole time it was to be put on, so they were holding auditions to find a replacement for the role, and trying to find the replacement quickly, since it was starting in a couple more weeks, and running through most of the month. 

Miru got really excited and wanted to audition for the role, and do it other places too, if she thought about it and really wanted to, but got nervous quickly too, like she did with her talent shows, when she was in high school, as she hugged Sid and tried to breathe. This was her surprise, and those were the biggest reasons that Sid told her with the surprise, and he and the team knew that she loved the movie and always wanted to see the Broadway production of it. They planned to surprise her with taking her to see it since she couldn't afford it, but this was better than that, cause they knew she had been thinking about doing something like this.

"Shame the one doing the role ended up like that, but at the same time, this is so cool." Miru said as she squealed. "But I'm so nervous to audition."

"That's normal. But we'll go with you and help you through it." Sid said with a smile. "We got ya."

Miru went into the house with Sid and got settled, before reading the article over and over. She really wanted to audition for the role. Sid's phone went off with a text from the coach asking for everyone, waiting back at their practice facility in their locker room, at the moment, about whether he gave her the surprise or not. Sid texted back confirming that he did, and that she was really excited about the auditions, and wanted to audition for the role, but was nervous. But there was more to the surprise that Miru didn't even notice in the article yet. The auditions for it started that day, and in a couple hours.

"Sid!!!!!!!" Miru yelled from the spare room.

"What's up Miru?" Sid asked when he came into the room.

"You didn't tell me to read the whole article, but I did, and it says that the auditions start today in a couple hours from now." Miru said as she tried to breathe. 

"That's where we were gonna head next too, was The Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, so you could audition for the role of Rafiki. The rest of the team was gonna meet us there." Sid replied. "You're nervous, aren't you?"

"Yes." Miru said as they started heading out to get to The Benedum Center in Pittsburgh so she could audition. 

When they got to The Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, the rest of the team met them outside and were so excited for their pal, and were there to support her. Miru was so excited too, but she was so nervous about it, that she looked like she was gonna throw up. Jake handed her an orange juice and told her to sip at it. Miru did as instructed with the orange juice, and got her stomach to settle down a little bit, and then headed in for the audition. 

Miru gave it all she had into the audition for the role of Rafiki, and was given the part immediately. They even thought when Rafiki was to talk instead of sing, that she sounded like the one that played the voice in the movie. They were very impressed with her. Miru was so excited she got the part, and so fast like that too. She couldn't wait for the production to get started.

Miru started practicing for the production of The Lion King at The Benedum Center almost instantly as soon as she got back to Sid's house. The rest of the team came over whenever she was practicing, when they weren't playing or anything, to support her and watch her shine as Rafiki. 

At times, during the weekdays, Miru would go back to her house in Ellwood City, to watch the dog, Dottie, until her mom got home from work, and then go back to Sid's house and stay. One of the days, Miru and her mom got a new nosle put on for the hose. On Friday, a week from the last day of the house repairs, Miru was out on her new porch with Dottie, rehearsing for the production of The Lion King, and heard her phone started ringing. Miru answered on the second ring.

"Now what?" Miru answered. It was her grandma.

"Liberty Roofing is gonna be calling you in about 5 minutes or so about that other door project." Miru's grandma said.

"Huh?" Miru asked.

"You know the place that Roman got all that siding and such, and now this other door from? Liberty Roofing?" Miru's grandma asked.

"Yeah. What about it?" Miru asked.

"They're gonna be calling you in about 5 minutes or so about that other door project." Miru's grandma said.

"For what?" Miru asked. "Aren't they supposed to call Roman about that?" 

"Yeah. True. But you paid for it with your debit card for y'all. Remember?" Miru's grandma said.

"Yeah. So. We need it regardless. And Roman said that Pappy suggested it, at first anyway, but even when they asked me if I was willing to help with that, I didn't mind. What's your point?" Miru said.

"Well, that Rick needs your card number again. Something about it won't go through." Miru's grandma said.

"Oh geez." Miru said. "I thought he couldn't hear me very good that day. I'll go get it. It's in my room and I'm on the porch."

"Okay. Better hurry." Miru's grandma said.

"Okay bye. Miru said and headed inside and up to her room quickly.

"What's up Miru?" Sid asked as they headed inside and went straight to her room.

"That place, that the Amish guy, aka Roman, who helped us with all of this, got all the siding and such for the house, and now this other door too, is gonna be calling me any sec about the other door project. Something about my debit card isn't working for that Rick that Roman and I talked to when paying for it the way we did like this." Miru said as she got her wallet out of her purse and whipped her debit card out of it.

"Oh boy. That ain't good." Sid said.

"My thoughts exactly Sid. I thought this Rick couldn't hear me very good that day. Guess I was right." Miru said as the landline started ringing with Liberty Roofing.

"Guess so too. Now run." Sid said as they ran to her mom's room to get the phone.

"Hello?" Miru asked as she answered Liberty Roofing.

"Hello Miranda?" A guy named Rick asked.

"Yes. This is her. I'm Miranda." Miru said.

"It's Rick from Liberty Roofing. How are you?" Rick said.

"I'm good. How about you?" Miru said back.

"I'm doing good. Thank you. I'm so sorry that I had to do this today, but your debit card isn't working. I need the number again just to see." Rick said.

"Oh it's okay Rick. It happens. We'll get it straightened out. I have it right here with me now as we speak. So whenever you're ready for it." Miru said.

"Oh thank you sweetie. Yes. I'm ready for it." Rick said.

Miru went over the card number again and they figured out that Rick accidently had the last 2 numbers mixed up. They both laughed about it, as did Sid too, and said it happens and such, before double checking on the rest of the info to make sure all of it was right after that, which thankfully it was. After all that, they went over the payment price, before finishing up.

"Okay. We're all set now. We'll bring it on Tuesday." Rick said.

"Okay. Sounds good. I'll let Roman know soon. Thanks Rick." Miru said.

"No problem Miranda. Thank you." Rick said. "Bye."

"Bye." Miru said as the call ended.

"All good?" Sid asked.

"All good to go." Miru said. "Yes. I'll call Roman and let him know after I get done with lunch."

"Good girl." Sid said as they headed downstairs and started getting something to eat. 

Miru wanted to call Roman to not only let him know about the door, but also because she wanted to ask Roman about something with their friendship that developed during all of this, cause of her family and they way they were with everything with this, even now. But unfortunately, Miru wasn't able to call Roman to tell him any of that, let alone the fact that she wanted to do it in person, when he came back to install this other door for her and her mom, cause her grandma called back to ask if Liberty Roofing had called yet, and what Rick had said, cause her grandpa wanted to know.

"Yeah. They called and everything is all taken care of and such now. Just had the last 2 numbers mixed up. All good now and they're gonna bring it on Tuesday. All he said. Never said a time/timeframe though. So I'll be checking when I get up and that too." Miru answered sounding real enthused, like she knew she wasn't gonna get to call Roman herself for them, let alone ask him what she wanted to ask about the friendship that developed during all of this between them. 

Sure enough, she didn't call Roman, not only cause she decided not to bother, but also because she figured her grandpa would call him for her, before she could finish her lunch and jump on the phone and do it herself. She just had that feeling.

"Why Tuesday?" Roman asked Miru's grandpa on the phone later. "I was gonna be in Ellwood on Monday and put it on for them real quick while I was there."

"Cause Monday is Labor Day." Miru's grandpa said back to Roman.

"Oh shit!" Roman said. "Tell Miranda that when they come, to have them put it in the garage until I can get there another day to do it."

"I will." Miru's grandpa said as they ended the call.

Miru and Sid hurried up and got lunch, and as they finished and went to call Roman, and then get the dishes going after the call was over, Miru still had the feeling that Roman had already been called for her. Sure enough, when Miru's phone rang and it came up her grandparents, she already knew, but answered her phone anyway, and decided to play stupid while they told her about the call. They knew right away that something was the matter when she sighed so hard that she groaned in the process of it too.

"What's the matter?" Miru's grandma asked.

"Nothing. Thanks for letting me know so I knew what to do when it gets here until Roman can get here and install it for us. Bye." Miru groaned and hung up quickly.

"They already called Roman didn't they?" Sid asked somewhat groaning too.

"Yeah. They were letting me know what he said so that I knew what to do when it got here. Unlock the garage, tell them to put it in there, lock the garage back up, til Roman can get here and install it for us." Miru groaned. "Figures. Should've known when they called and asked if Liberty Roofing had called that it was coming. Should've called him right away, cause now I can't ask him what I was gonna ask him now."

"About the friendship? Like you've been saying about asking Roman about? Cause of the way your family has been this whole summer this whole time about it? Is that what you mean Miru?" Sid asked.

"Bingo." Miru said, still groaning. "Now I can't. Hope when I find out when he's coming to install it for us that I can pull him aside, even while he's working with it if I have to, and if my grandpa stays away, and long enough that I can do it."

"Got that right." Sid said.

Miru and Sid stayed the night at her house on Monday, and impatiently waited for Tuesday to come, so that Miru could hopefully call Roman this time, after it came to the house and was in the garage waiting on him, and ask if they could talk in person about the friendship, when he came to install it. But Tuesday was also the start of the production of The Lion King at The Benedum Center in Pittsburgh too. Miru hardly slept all night, to the point where Sid was kinda the same way, worrying about Miru, and feeling bad for her too, cause of everything she's gone through her whole life, and now this with her new friends too, when they did nothing wrong at all.

Tuesday morning came, and Miru and Sid got up early, to be ready for 8:30 am, for the electrician to come back and hook up the new outdoor L E D lights for her and her mom, but to also wait for the other door to come, so they could get it in the garage for Roman, until he could get there to put it in. The electrician came an hour and 3 minutes late, but Miru didn't mind as long as he showed and got the job done. He was done and gone by the time lunchtime rolled in.

Miru and Sid decided to get lunch and do the dishes real quick, since it was that time anyway, but also cause the door hadn't come yet, and went back outside on the porch and continued to wait for the door, since it didn't show then either. When it got closer to 3pm, Sid decided to go in the house, and curl up on the couch and rest some, until it was time to start eating dinner and then head for Pittsburgh. Miru's grandpa came down the street to the house around that time, and said that Roman had called, and was on his way there, to install the door, and finish what else still needed done at her grandparents house, before heading home for the day.

"But, but." Miru said. "The door isn't here. I was just thinking about calling Liberty Roofing and asking them where it was."

"Why? You don't have their number." Miru's grandpa said.

"Yes I do." Miru said. "When Roman and I called from my phone wondering about it when it wasn't showing up in my account, and getting told that they were gonna run my debit card through when it came in, meaning Friday, I saved it into my phone and put it under Liberty Roofing when I asked Roman what to put it under. So I have their number now too. Not just Roman's and such that helped us out this year."

"Can't believe it's still not here yet." Miru's grandpa said.

"Well it's not." Miru said as she got up to get Dottie and hopefully get her in the house with Sid before Roman got there.

Miru gave up with Dottie and decided to try leaving her on the porch til everyone, including her, were done, as a dark red truck, with the black trailer hooked up to it, came up the hill and around, and then come down the street, and stop in front of the next door neighbor's house. Miru recognized Roman in the passenger seat instantly, but didn't recognize the truck, or the driver, as Roman got out of the truck, and started hollering up to the porch to Miru, picking on each other as usual, while Dottie started carrying on.

"You get a new driver or something?" Miru asked. "Jim get to be to much for you now?"

"No. He and Elmer are at another small job. So Jim's nephew here has been driving me around. His name is Donny. You been behaving?" Roman said.

"I behave 24/7. This one however doesn't." Miru said as she pointed to the dog. "Should be asking you that."

"What?!!!?" Roman asked. "I behave."

"Mm." Miru said as they started giggling. "Nice to meet you by the way Donny."

"Nice to meet you too." Donny said. "Like your house."

"Well, that's all thanks to that one over there." Miru said giggling as she pointed to Roman. "But thank you."

"That door show up?" Roman asked. "In your garage like we discussed?"

"Not here. If it were, I would've come down and gone to the garage by now. So what's that tell you? Not here. They're in my phone if you wanna call them, but you'll have to come over here." Miru said.

"Actually, I already did just to see if it had been delivered yet or not." Roman said.

"That's okay. I figured you would just to see. It's fine. What'd they say?" Miru smiled before cringing with the question.

"About 45 more minutes or so, but that they're on their way with it." Roman replied. "Guess I'm doing up at your grandparents house til it gets here. If you're fine with that."

"I don't care. Gives us something to do while waiting. And you need to finish up there too anyway." Miru said. "Watch it come while we're up there."

"Yeah. That'll be our luck." Roman giggled. "Rick didn't tell you a specific time, like a certain timeframe that it was to come?" 

"Pff. Nope. Just told me they were gonna bring it today. No time. Nothing. So I've been waiting since I got up this morning, which was like 7 or 7:30am." Miru said.

"What were you doing getting up and waiting for it and such that early?" Roman asked.

"Electrician came back to put the new L E D lights up for us where he had to rewire the house. Same with the outdoor plug outlet out back there too." Miru said pointing around. "Wasn't done until around lunchtime, so I went and ate and did the dishes as quick as possible, in case Liberty Roofing was coming, never came. Came back out here, when I was done with all that, to check and then continue to wait, been waiting since. And now you're here and we're still waiting."

"You mean Rick didn't tell you like 1pm? Cause that was what he originally told me before just a couple minutes ago." Roman said.

"Nope. Just said "Bringing it today" was all he told me, like all I just told you about with today." Miru said.

"That son of a gun!!!!" Roman yelled as Miru and the others laughed.

"Sorry." Miru shrugged as she kept giggling and cringing, as they talked a bit more while waiting, before deciding to do up at Miru's grandparents house for the time being. 

At one point, Donny came over to take a couple pics of her porch gate for someone in his family to see, and then took a pic of Miru. Miru didn't mind Donny taking her pic, but she made sure Roman couldn't be seen behind her on the driveway before he took her pic. Donny said they were good.

Miru and Donny followed Roman and her grandpa to help Roman, and hang out and talk to each other, after the small photoshoot between her and Donny. Miru hung out in the shade under a tree in her grandpa's yard while up there, to keep from getting sunburned again, let alone add to what already cleared up with the sunburn she already fought with, even though it wasn't a bad one.

"So glad Elmer is on another small job with Jim and that Jim's nephew Donny here has been driving me around for today." Roman said as he looked at Miru and started getting her in the process. "Cause for whatever reason, Elmer's been mad at me, and mostly since doing your house. Maybe you did something too."

"I didn't do a thing to him. Okay? And he's your father in law. So if he's mad at you, and only you, then I can't help you out unless I know what's going on, even though I'm not involved with whatever it is. Why would he be mad at you anyway? Granted you two jab each other a lot, all cause you married his daughter and became family, but that's not the point. You're still a good person. So I don't get how he could be mad at you, and all of a sudden like that." Miru said. "And you know I didn't do anything wrong." 

"I know you didn't do anything wrong." Roman smiled. "And thanks for all that. And I don't get it either with it. Other than he keeps telling me he wants to go into farming." 

"What?" Miru asked. "You need his help for as long as he can do it, and it's your business and your name. Not his. And he's already older as it is. What the heck?"

"I know." Roman said. "Try telling him that. I already have tried that."

"How old is he anyway?" Miru's grandpa asked.

"50." Roman said.

"I thought he was older than that." Miru mumbled.

"So did I." Miru's grandpa said.

"How old did you think he was? 100?" Roman asked.

"Now I didn't say that!!!!" Miru said. "But I was thinking like maybe 60 at the youngest to look at him. I didn't think he was the exact same age as my mother. Wow."

"I'm gonna tell him you said that. And your mom is 50?" Roman said.

"Yup. And don't bother telling Elmer that. He's been mad at you for no reason at all, with all that you said, enough as it is." Miru said.

"I thought your mom was like mid to late 40s." Roman said.

"Nope. She's 50. She'll be 51 in October." Miru said.

"Dang. I must be getting old too. And I just turned 25 Sunday." Roman said as Miru and the others giggled.

"I even texted my mom when we came up here, letting her know you came for this, and she asked me what for." Miru laughed. "So I told her what was going on. She's just as shocked as we are." 

"No wonder. They even told me that they don't know what delivery we are." Roman said.

"What?!!!!?" Miru asked. "And they've been here twice and know the route and everything, regardless of GPS! And I even confirmed my address! They atta know where the heck I live by now! Come on!"

"Kinda what I said." Roman said. "I even have it down pat with you guys now. They should by now too."

They finished up at Miru's grandparents house for the time being, and Miru went in to get the check off her grandma, brought it back to Roman, and then went to get one of the thermoses, that she and her mom always keep filled with water in the fridge for backups, or to fill the dog's water dish, for him, since they didn't have any water with them, other than what was in the cup holder in the truck.

"Stay and keep an eye on Dottie. Got it Sid?" Miru said as she headed to the porch with the thermos.

"Got it." Sid said. "I will."

When Miru came back with the big blue thermos, she thought Roman was still at the truck somewhere, and that Donny might've came back with him, but they weren't there, and neither was her grandpa. Miru walked around and looked around for them, only to find them still in her grandpa's yard, with Roman relaxing on the new steps he put on up there too. They heard Miru coming as she started running up the hill and turned and headed for Roman with the thermos, breathing hard from running around so bad.

"You're gonna let me drink outta your thermos?" Roman asked.

"It's fine with me. Only water my mom and I have. And it's cold. And I don't have to go down to the basement, like up here, to get it. We can wash it later. Don't worry about it. We only keep it in the fridge filled up like that for backup anyway. We'll wash it. It's fine." Miru said with a smile, but still happened to be breathing hard, as her aunt brought her grandpa some water out for him to sip at til he was okay too, while Roman looked at the thermos kinda funny and then started laughing.

"What?" Miru, her grandpa, and Donny asked. Roman read back what was written on it that he was laughing at.

"Think nobody cares about you, try missing a few payments." Roman laughed and had the others laughing too.

"Don't look at me and ask me where we got that." Miru laughed. "Cause I don't have a clue. I just started digging through our cabinets one day when I was still in high school, cause I needed one, cause what I had been using got dropped and broke, and my mom thought we had that, and I found it the more I kept looking. Everybody thought it was funny. Even the bullies did too."

"Well it is kinda funny." Roman laughed.

"Hi Aunt Brenda." Miru said as her aunt reached them.

"Hello." Miru's aunt said as Roman turned around, hearing her aunt. "You alright?" 

"Just from running around so bad." Miru said as she coughed from it too. "I'll be fine."

"Okay." Miru's aunt said as she headed back inside with her grandpa's cup of water when he was good to go. "You don't sound like it though."

"I'll be alright. Just give me a few minutes." Miru said, coughing a little bit more.

"Here." Roman said as he moved over enough that Miru could sit beside him and rest a bit until she caught her breath. "Better?"

"Yeah. Thanks. Just don't wanna push you off them." Miru said, still breathing hard.

"I'm fine. You're welcome." Roman said. "You having a heart attack?" 

"No. I'll be fine. It's just my seasonal allergies acting up as usual. I get to moving around like I was, and then I sound like this. Like my lungs don't wanna work right. If it was that, I would've collapsed by now." Miru said in between breaths, before coughing really hard and making Roman jump, even though she turned away from him.

"True." Roman said. "Wow. Sure you're okay? That help? Or did that make your throat sore too?" 

"I'm okay. I know. When I cough like that I sound like I smoke and do it a lot, when I don't even smoke at all. My seasonal allergies make me this way all the time. Even when medicine is in my system to control them." Miru said as her breathing started slowing down after that.

"They must be pretty bad for you to do that to you. Wow." Roman said.

"Yup. They were way worse than this when I was way younger. Got them under control with all kinds of medicines. Late high school I finally got to get taken off them. Now they started sounding bad, some, again to where I'm back on medicine again. And I take it every day now, not when I need it, like when I first started with medicine again. Probably have to do it for the rest of my life like that just to keep them this controlled." Miru said.

"Might have to. Wow." Roman said.

"Yup." Miru said. "Don't matter if I'm outside or inside either too. Cause it's just constant like this every day."

"That has to be awful." Donny said as they started heading to the truck and hanging out some more there, while continuing to wait for the other door.

"Can be." Miru said as they reached the truck. 

"You take Claritin for them?" Roman asked. 

"That, and nasal decongestants." Miru said.

Roman and Donny climbed in and waited there, while Miru and her grandpa stood and waited with them. They talked with each other some more about stuff since a couple weeks ago, and were even laughing at some of it, along with some stuff Donny was seeing on his Facebook. Then Roman said something that had Miru singing the chorus to Let It Go from Frozen. Donny knew the song too and started giggling. Then Roman started singing her grandpa's favorite song, that he had been doing since Friday a couple weeks ago, thanks to Jim starting it, and had Miru's grandpa joining in the song, and had Donny laughing, especially after they told him why they were doing it.

"Roman...." Miru said as he stopped and kept giggling before starting again. "Roman...."

"What time is it anyway?" Miru's grandpa asked.

"3:45pm." Miru, Roman, and Donny said. Still no door like they said.

"Are you sure this thing isn't coming horse and buggy?" Miru asked.

"I don't know." Roman laughed. "Maybe. Or coming from Alaska."

"I was gonna say California." Miru laughed.

"Or there." Roman laughed.

"Coming from somewhere you would think." Miru's grandpa said laughing.

"Yeah. And apparently by horse and buggy." Miru said and got them laughing even more, just as her neighbor Tom, that did the painting parts, especially inside, for her and her mom, came down the street to go see his mom, who was slowly dying.

"Uh oh. Here comes more trouble." Miru said as Tom climbed in his truck and started down the street and stopped by Donny's truck. "Sup Tom?"

"What in the world are you doing here this time? Thought you were done working on her house now?" Tom asked after realizing it was Roman and started teasing him.

"Remember that other door that's in the backyard?" Miru asked. "Getting it replaced today. If it ever shows up!!" 

"Oh boy." Tom said. "Finally decided to do that and now this?"

"Yup." Miru said. "I've been waiting all day for it, and then this one shows up to put it in for us, and still no door. And he said that they told him 1pm that it was supposed to be here. So it was supposed to be here by now apparently. They lied. When he called around 3pm, on his way here, they told him 45 more minutes, and it's now, 3:46pm, and still waiting."

"Oh geez." Tom said. "No wonder you guys are hanging out here right now. Don't come pretty soon, I'd tell them, bring it another day, or give the money for it back."

"It's a possibility." Miru said. "But it does need replaced. And the money that was put in to getting it, custom made, and such, that was outta my money. And it wasn't even my idea to pay for it for us like that. Not originally anyway. But I was willing to do it regardless. Anything to help us."

"Well, who's idea was it originally, if it wasn't your idea?" Tom asked.

"His." Roman and Miru said and pointed to Miru's grandpa.

"He suggested it while she went to check on grandma and help her out for a minute or so. Then when she came back, we asked her. She had to ask us why we wanted her debit card at first, cause her grandpa just asked for her to get it basically, and I explained for her. I told her she didn't have to, but she was willing to do it however so we could get it replaced. All she and her mom have to do is pay me for installing it now. If it comes." Roman said. "She's a good girl. Helped her mom a lot, til they could get the loan for the rest of this."

"Even then, I still help her out as much as I can." Miru said.

"She even helped us out a good bit too as much as she could." Roman said.

"I'm a good sport." Miru said. "What can I say?"

"Yes you are." Roman said. "You were raised good."

"You do a really good job. Looks really nice." Tom said.

"Aww. Thank you." Roman said.

"You do know you're permanent now right?" Miru asked Roman laughing.

"That's very good to hear that I got a job with you guys." Roman smiled while giggling. "I thought I got one with some older lady too, but I never heard anything back from her after giving her bids."

"Ouch." Miru giggled.

"Yup." Roman said.

"Well, you guys always got one with us." Miru said.

"Yeah you do." Tom said.

"Thank you." Roman said.

"We got a couple for you again as well Tom." Miru and her grandpa said.

"Oh boy." Tom said.

"Just the posts you already painted outside. Got a little beat up during the work." Miru's grandpa said.

"It happens." Tom said. "I'll get em again for ya."

"Mm." Miru cringed. "There's a spot in the kitchen again too. Not just that."

"You did it again, didn't you?" Tom asked as he looked around Miru at Roman.

"Oh no." Miru said. "Wasn't him this time. He's innocent this time."

"What she said. I'm innocent this time. Wasn't me." Roman said.

"Then who did it there this time?" Tom asked.

"John. The electrician. When he rewired the house for the lights that he finally got put up today. He did it during the rewiring. Was not Roman this time." Miru said. 

"Oh boy. How bad is that compared to what this one did?" Tom said.

"Roman's wasn't quite as bad as this. But thankfully it became a small spot. But don't ask me what the heck he did to do it though. I know how Roman did it when he did it, which we figured would happen anyway, but the electrician, we not only weren't expecting that, but we don't know what he did either." Miru said.

"Yikes." Tom said.

"Going to see your mom?" Miru's grandpa asked.

"Yeah. Been hard. And I hate to say it, but she's in such bad shape that I just hope and pray she just goes to sleep, and then, you know." Tom said.

"She'd be better off too." Miru and her grandpa said.

"Your mom not doing too good?" Roman asked Tom. "She slowly passing away?"

"No. She's not well. She's dying." Tom said. "But she is older too. In her 90s."

"That'll do it." Miru said as they all felt bad. "But it doesn't matter how old they are. It's always hard when this comes, no matter how it's brought on."

"So true." Everyone else said as Miru checked the time and saw it was now 4pm on the dot.

"4pm now. Let's go. Where is it?" Miru said just as the Liberty Roofing truck finally started coming up the alleyway. 

Tom said that he'd better head off, let alone move out of the truck's way, and left, while the truck started turning around. Miru whipped her phone out and started to call the car phone to let her mom know it finally came, and noticed there was a text from her mom from a half hour ago, that she never heard come in. Miru dialed the car phone, but it never rang in. Miru kept trying, and started getting frustrated, while trying to help Roman and Donny in the process, and told them that it had nothing to do with them, and that she was trying to call her mom, but it wasn't working right.

"Why don't you try texting her instead?" Roman asked. "That's usually easier for you with just about anyone anyway you said.

"Cause when 4pm hits, she gets off work and is on her way home, so I can't. And even if I did, she won't answer anyway. So I'm trying to call the car phone." Miru said and explained what the car phone was, and what the phone was doing and telling her, before trying one last time. "If it does it again, I give up, and she can find out when she gets home here. Cause this will probably be awhile."

"Good point. And probably. No wonder you're frustrated. Can't blame you." Roman said as Miru put the phone to her ear to try again. It started ringing this time.

"Oh sure now it rings." Miru said as she headed to the trailer to see if Donny needed help.

Miru told her mom what was going on and her mom was just as wound as they were. Miru ended the call and helped Donny bring up the equipment he was bringing up there to start with. When they reached Roman with the certain gear to start with, Roman was ready to start getting the old one off, but realized it was still locked, and needed Miru to unlock it. Miru went in through the back door this time, especially to be quicker, and had to get Dottie stopped, and hopefully back in the other room and out of the way, since she carried on high when she came in, knowing something was definitely going on this time with them, and thinking she was her mom coming home too, so she could get the old one unlocked so Roman could start.

"If you're gonna stay out here instead of going back to the other room, then sit." Miru kept yelling to Dottie trying to get her to settle and move, since she wasn't listening to the commands. Dottie finally gave up and decided to sit. "Now stay there!"

Miru got the basement door opened and started down the couple steps to the landing where the other door is at, and leaned forward, while putting her hand against the wall for balance, and reached for the lock on the other door to unlock it. She did it this way cause of it swinging open when it got unlocked, especially at her while she was on the landing, the last time she unlocked it for measurements, so that she didn't get hit, and could just go back, while Roman could come in and get started. 

As Miru started into leaning forward to do that, Dottie had moved and came up behind her and jumped at her, wanting attention, and still thinking she was her mom coming home, but also knowing something was going on this time with them too. As Dottie jumped at Miru, she hit her and almost knocked her down the basement steps. Miru managed to hang on and keep her balance and get stopped, regardless of where she could've landed, and turned around as fast as she could, but carefully in the process, and screamed at Dottie to knock her crap off and go back in the other room.

"Stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Miru screamed. "I'm not joking!!!!!!!!!! You literally almost knocked me down these steps, and they make me just as nervous as it is!!!!!!!!!!! Last thing I need is broken bones!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes something is going on, and I had to use my key to get in the back door, when I came back in, cause of it being locked too, and Mom is on her way home!!!!!!!! I'm not Mom, and you're not getting attention right now!!!!!!!!!! This all needs done first!!!!!!!!!! You can have attention and that later like always!!!!!!!!!!!! Now enough!!!!!!!!!! Knock your crap off and go back in the other room!!!!!!! Right now!!!!!!!!! Stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh!!!!!!!!!! You're ridiculous, especially anymore!!!!!!!!!!!! You're way worse than a little kid!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Who's she screaming at?" Donny asked.

"I think she's doing it to the dog." Roman said as Miru finally got Dottie to quit long enough for her to get the door opened. "Only other one here right now."

"Well heck yeah I'm yelling at the dog." Miru said. "Cause she's not listening to me. And then she almost pushed me down the steps."

"That wouldn't have been good." Roman said as he came in to get started and Dottie barked at him and tried to go to him, and hopefully get attention from him, while still woofing for a sec. 

"Oh no you don't!" Miru yelled as she flung forward and caught Dottie's collar and yanked her back and held her a sec. "Get your butt back here! You don't need down there! First you almost do it to me, and then him! Not a good idea! And he don't need you down there either! And quit your barking and woofing! Sorry Roman. We don't really know why she started doing this, but she thinks she's a guard dog and has been like that since a year ago this November into December. This was what I meant when I said about her being a nut and thinking she's a guard dog all at once." 

"It's okay. That's the idea of a dog most days." Roman smiled and then cringed when she woofed again. "She's not gonna bite me is she?"

"N'no." Miru said. "She is friendly like the other dog, Ella, but she doesn't like to admit it cause this is what she wants you to think. But she won't bite/hurt you. She scratches if she gets enough when jumping at you, but she doesn't bite. She knows better than that. Plus, she's going back to the porch anyway, cause she won't like it in a little bit anyway. Remember when I said she don't like drills and such with stuff like this too? Yeah. As soon as that starts taking off this one and putting the new one in, she'll go bananas more than she is now."

"Oh boy." Roman said smiling and giggling. "Okay then." 

"Yup." Miru giggled. "You think little kids are bad when they're hyper? This is much worse."

"Yikes." Roman laughed. "As long as she won't bite me if she gets away from you."

"She won't. I promise. She's going on the porch again anyway. If she does get away and gets you though, bite, scratch, or both, for whatever reason, all you have to do is bite her back, swat her nose, or both. She'll quit after that." Miru said smiling and took Dottie to the porch real quick. Miru went back and out the back door and around the corner to help.

"Did you seriously just tell me to bite the dog back, swat her nose, or both, if she got me, when you took her to the porch?" Roman asked laughing a bit.

"Trust me, it works." Miru said laughing a bit. "That's how I got her to learn not to bite anybody, including me. If she does now, she knows it, cause she runs away after you yell when it happens, cause she gets too crazy, and that's because she knows I'll get her back."

"Uh oh. Ellen better watch out for you if you're watching her if you come over for the buggy ride offer." Roman said and laughed as they kept continuing to pick on each other with everything, while the other door continued being installed.

"Do you seriously not trust me with a one year old that runs around in a dress and bonnet all the time?" Miru asked giggling.

"Oh I didn't say I didn't trust you with them, especially her. Just warning you that she bites, even if she does like you cause of the teddy bear, even though she may not remember you, regardless of whether she meets you or not, no matter how old she is." Roman giggled.

"So bite her back." Miru laughed. "Like I said, that's how I got Dottie to learn. That's that dog's name. Dottie. And that's how I got her to learn with biting. Bit her back. All you gotta do."

"How did you manage to do it anyway?" Roman asked. "What brought it on?"

"It was like, not long after we got her, so recently, but I forget when it really was, but regardless, it was in the evening, and my mom went down to the basement there for something, and Dottie wanted to play with her ball. I got it and started playing with her, and she started getting a little too rough, and bit me." Miru said. "I drug her to me and bit her back on the ear. Started playing with her again, same thing happened, so I did it again to the other ear. Same stuff all over again, strike 3, went to do it the 3rd time, she wouldn't stay still, so she knew what was coming again, so I yanked her towards me and reached out as fast as I could and bit what I could get my teeth onto, which ended up being her nose that time. Never bit me or anyone again, no matter how crazy she gets. If she does now, she knows it, not just cause of yelling "ow", but also cause she knows she'll get her nose swatted, or bit back if it's me she does it to, cause she runs away, especially if she does it to me."

"I'll say." Roman said. "You bit the dog on the nose on strike 3 cause she didn't want bite 3 back?"

"Yup." Miru said giggling a little bit. "It worked. I even put the ball back while yelling at her for biting me and letting her know that's why I was doing it back. Told her "That was strike 3. You're done", but after I bit her back on the nose on strike 3, she didn't want to play again anyway. And then my mom wanted to know what was going on in the living room. I told her she was biting me so I was biting her back. She didn't like that I bit her back on the nose, but it worked. I even told her that. If Ellen does it, all you gotta do is that."

"I'm not gonna bite my kid, especially there." Roman said giggling a little bit.

"It might get her to learn." Miru said giggling a little bit back too.

"True." Roman said as Miru's grandpa came back again after eating dinner and started yacking to them again, before Miru could ask about the friendship.

"I brought a bucket up from the basement for us too, earlier, and brought cloths down from the bathroom as well, and was gonna put warm soapy water in it for us so we could clean it up a bit when we were done." Miru said.

"Oh there you go. Okay. You can put it in now if you want. That way it's already ready to go when we're good enough to do that." Roman said.

"Okay. I'll go get Murphy's oil soap in it for us real quick." Miru said and headed for the door to do that.

"Oh there you go." Roman said.

"What kinda soap is that?" Donny asked.

"Oh you will find out, and you will be amazed too." Miru giggled.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Miru went in, and put a drop of the Murphy's oil soap in the bucket, and filled it up about half way or so, and then headed out back with it and sat it down, so it was ready when they were done, so they could clean it up a little bit, and then went back to helping with what she could do. 

"So, did your money drop down enough for you after paying for this door, in between helping your mom pay for the rest of what we did this summer?" Roman asked. Miru had told him 2 weeks ago that she had SSI and needed her money to drop down and such about it when splitting the final payment for everything else.

"Oh it dropped. I'm good now." Miru said as Roman laughed.

"How much was it after that phone call to you anyway?" Roman asked.

"Like, after the price for the door itself, and then the $35 delivery fee, and then tax, like 500 some dollars and such." Miru said as Roman whistled. "Practically had to sell half my liver just to pay something like that."

"What it feels like. What was the issue anyway?" Roman said.

"Last 2 numbers got mixed up. We fixed it. Got it straightened out." Miru said.

"It happens." Roman said.

"What I thought was funny was that my grandma called me and said about Rick calling up there looking for me, and I asked her what for, and asked "Aren't they supposed to call Roman?", and she said "Yeah, but you paid for it for you guys and only have to pay Roman to install it now", and asked her what her point was. She finally told me why Rick was looking for me with the call. She said later, when asking if it got worked out, that supposedly he did call you about it, but then asked if you were still doing siding and such here and if I was here for that too." Miru said.

"Yup." Roman said. "He did. When I told him that we were done other than this today, he wondered if I had a number for you, and you only called me that one day cause of that tree trimming going on, to help us out, but I didn't remember what it was, yet your grandparents I have memorized cause of how much he helped you guys with getting me and such. And I knew from a couple calls, or your grandpa being down here and telling you, that you go up there and help them a lot, so I did that and told him to see if you were there for something. Apparently you weren't."

"Nope. I was here on the porch minding my own business and enjoying the fresh air, and she called me with that. Said she told Rick, for that, to give her about 5 minutes or so to explain, cause I probably wouldn't have answered until the answering machine picked up and he started talking." Miru said as Roman and Donny laughed.

Her grandpa was still there, so she just talked and helped and such, like she had been, and tried not to let it show that something was up, like she already had been succeeding with. She wanted her grandpa to go away so she could ask about the friendship between them, whether all of them knew her or not. 

"Got a paper towel or something for him?" Miru's grandpa asked when Roman said about it with needing to clean his hands a little bit from all the dirt.

"Here Roman!" Miru said as she held the bucket of soapy water down in place for him and motioned for him to come to her, while she started giggling. "Just stick your hands in the bucket. They'll be clean in like 10 seconds."

"Okay. Thank you." Roman said smiling as he did as directed. 

"No problem." Miru smiled, and then giggled, as Roman grabbed one of the old rags from the bathroom, that she had hanging on the side of the bucket at the moment, and wiped his hands and up his arms with it to wash up a bit more. "Okay then."

"What?" Roman asked giggling a little bit. "My arms are clean now at the moment."

Then Miru's grandpa said something about taking a bath, after all that.

"I told him to stick his hands in the bucket, but I didn't tell him to do that." Miru said laughing. 

"It worked." Roman laughed. 

"I told you Murphy's oil soap works wonders." Miru laughed.

"It sure does." Roman laughed, and Donny was just as impressed.

"Is that what you put in there?" Miru's grandpa asked, and Miru just nodded before answering, cause of still laughing.

"It was either that or Dawn dish soap. Cleaning like this though, this works better than the dish soap would." Miru said.

"Smartmouth." Miru's grandpa said as Miru, Roman, and Donny laughed.

At one point, she had to run up to her grandpa's house and get the magnet again, and ran as fast as she could, so she could get the screws and such that were dropped, before one of them stepped on them and got hurt, in between checking on Donny and helping him bring up gear from the trailer too, as she continued to help in any way possible.

After Roman started putting the spare locks on, that were originally on the back door when Miru's sister left, before changing the locks to what they had on the back door now, that they just put back on when replacing the back door in June, cause of changing them with the situation with Miru's sister, Roman said that the doorknob seemed a little tight, as he went to put the screws from the spare locks in place to secure the doorknob.

"What's the matter?" Miru and her grandpa, and Donny, asked.

"The handle is a little tight." Roman said.

"Probably cause them ones have hardly been used compared to the ones on the back door." Miru mumbled, but Roman heard her.

"What do you mean these ones have hardly been used compared to the ones on the back door?" Roman and Donny asked.

Miru made a shocked face and went to say something that was made up, so that they still wouldn't know about her sister, and the situation and such, minus the fact that she told them when they asked her before, cause they thought it as it was when seeing it was only her and her mom, but also, the most, being because of the situation with her sister, that she was an only child. 

But before Miru could do that, to keep the sister stuff and such, secret from them, and hopefully forever, especially if she could ask about the friendship and that it could stay forever no matter what, her grandpa spoke up and mentioned her sister, especially with saying that her sister's name was Becca in the process.

"Becca?" Roman asked and looked back and forth between Miru and her grandpa, a little confused. "Who's Becca?"

"Pappy!" Miru whispered and started moving her hands back and forth trying to get his attention too. "No! They don't know about her! None of them! Roman especially doesn't! I've kept her from them this whole time and wanna keep it that way, mostly cause of the situation with her, but also because, they thought, plus when they asked me before I told them, I was an only child, cause of it all with her! Don't!"

"You okay?" Donny asked Miru. Miru was about hyperventilating and about flipping out, as she shook her head to answer, especially when Roman looked at them then.

"Seriously, who is this Becca that just got mentioned?" Roman asked very curious by then.

"Oldest granddaughter." Miru's grandpa answered.

"Ah!" Miru whispered and sighed, and then moved around, like she was trying to build strength in her ankle, to keep it from hurting, like that was the issue instead. But Roman and Donny knew that wasn't the case, as she mouthed "shit" in the process, and almost broke down.

"What?" Roman asked. "I thought...."

"Yeah, um, when I said to you guys last time, about being an only child, after asking me if I had siblings, um, I lied about her. I didn't want you guys to ever know about her. When I mentioned about my dad's side of the family and such, that was different, because you guys saw that it was a single mom and her daughter, and that it took them years for all of this, and everything else I've ever mentioned to you guys. But the reason I always kept making it out, with everything, and then saying that with the only child thing, was because I definitely didn't want you guys to ever know about my older sister." Miru said cringing, while shaken up and such, in the process.

"You lied about having an older sister?" Roman asked picking on Miru. "Gary, Donny, can you two believe that? She lied to us about her."

"Are you mad at me for telling the truth with everything, but lying about her in between it all?" Miru asked, still shaken up and cringing. "Are you mad at me cause of one lie?"

"No. Not at all. I'm never mad at you. None of us are ever mad at you." Roman smiled. "But I am a little curious as to why you did it." 

"Um." Miru said. "Well...."

"She left." Miru's grandpa said.

"I figured she obviously moved out." Roman said.

"Oh she moved out alright." Miru and her grandpa said. "She left."

"Oh?" Roman asked, and Donny looked just as curious, as he and Miru walked back and forth, with bringing gear from the trailer, or taking it back to the trailer, and just hanging out with Roman and helping him.

Finally, Roman asked Miru's grandpa if he could get a couple skinny pieces of wood for around the door frame, like he had been doing, from the hardware store across town, while the work continued. Miru's grandpa accepted and headed back to his house, to get the car keys, and headed out to get that for him. At first, Miru didn't know that her grandpa was doing that, and thought he just finally went home.

"So your sister moved out?" Roman asked.

"Yup. She left actually. But yeah. She doesn't live here anymore." Miru said.

"I'm confused." Roman said.

"Me too." Donny said.

"She left. There's a difference." Miru said. "She doesn't live here anymore, yes, but she didn't move out. She left."

"What do you mean she left?" Roman asked.

"Yeah. What do you mean she left?" Donny said.

"It's actually gone on since she went to college. She went to Geneva College down in Beaver Falls and stayed in the dorms, and then at some point, the longer she was there, she started changing, attitude and all, and got sneaky with things, and then almost flunked out, before deciding to drop out, after realizing it wasn't for her regardless, and had been like that off and on since. Then, a year ago this November, on the 28th of November actually...." Miru explained.

"You mean the date of Thanksgiving this year?" Roman asked.

"Yup." Miru sighed. "That very day, after everything else I just mentioned, she got up like normal, and then just up and left, and only took clothes, and certain clothes to boot, with her, and left everything else behind in belongings. Hence where most of our spring cleaning so bad came from. Just up and left like that out of the blue. No warning. Nothing. Left a really nasty note that ripped all of us apart, my mom and I the most, especially on my mom, and that she was supposedly with "a friend" at the time, and I found it when I got up later on, after she was long gone, and was letting my mom, grandparents, and aunts, know at least about the note and that she was gone. By the time we found out everything that was going on, with the help of some family friends, she was married. And the guy is Muslim."

"Ah!" Roman and Donny gasped in shock. "Foreign too?"

"Yup." Miru said. "And all this has been going on since she was in college."

"Never met him?" Roman asked.

"Nope." Miru said shaking her head. "Mm mm. She met him online, while in college, so when everything with her got started, and then continued, on into this now, through a different social media, and he's from overseas somewhere. Not from here, and he also doesn't live here, at least that we're aware of. Never met him."

"How old is she?" Roman asked outta curiosity.

"Same age as you on the 21st of this month." Miru said. "Exact same age as you. She just won't be 25 until the 21st of this month."

"She'll learn." Roman grinned. "Isn't that how that song, "Life's a Dance", goes? You learn as you go? You know that one?"

"Oh yeah. I know the song. I listen to it on my phone a lot." Miru grinned. "Any song you don't know?"

"Not really." Roman laughed. "She'll learn. May take awhile, but she'll learn." 

"Mm." Miru said. "Learn to use us, or at least try to anyway."

"What do you mean?" Roman asked.

"Well, she's like my dad where this is concerned, at least right now, whether God eventually succeeds and gets her to learn or not. Doesn't want anything to do with us. And we noticed that when she left that nasty note and cut off contact with everyone in the family that is still alive. And we all basically have just moved on and let her go and such since then, except for my grandparents and aunts up the street. Cause a few days ago, my grandma asked my mom about if we would be okay if she sent her a card for her birthday, since we found out by someone that works at the bank we go to, that is also a family friend, where my sister now lives. My mom told her not to put anything in it, at least dealing with money in any way, and she said she wouldn't. We didn't believe her. And in the nasty note, my sister said that she was gonna prove us wrong and do it all on her own, and live on her own, etc. And before that, both of my grandparents, were gonna buy her an air conditioner, when it's already provided where she's currently living now." Miru explained more. 

"What?!!!!?" Roman and Donny gasped. "That's not how she'll learn, especially on her own. She's gotta do all that herself, especially where the air conditioner is concerned, if the landlord didn't provide it, even though it is already provided. They atta know that and just do what you and your mom, and just about everyone else did, and just let her go and move on, and let her make her own mistakes and do everything herself now. She made her choice. They have to just do that with her. Not that. That's not how she'll learn."

"Pff. Try telling them that." Miru said. "We already have tried it."

They hung out and talked to each other while the work was still going on. Miru kept holding it off in case her grandpa was coming back in a bit again, and checked what time it was in the process. When she realized she still had just enough time, before her mom pulled up in front of the house, about 15 minutes to a half hour or so max, and realized her grandpa wasn't gonna be back for awhile, she finally let it out about the friendship that developed during all of this, and asked Roman about it, starting with a big sigh, while he started with some of the skinny pieces of wood that he had, for around the door frame.

"What's wrong?" Roman asked. "Or just getting tired and starting to yawn?" 

"Well, I guess my grandpa ain't coming back now, at least for awhile anyway, and I still got a bit before my mom gets here. So I guess I can finally talk to you." Miru said with another sigh, while also trying to breathe and stay calm.

"What do you mean?" Roman asked. "We've been talking and having a good time in the process of this like we have been since meeting you guys and helping you and everything."

"I know." Miru said. "And that's fine with me and all. But, it's got nothing to do with any of that and getting to know you and about your family and such actually. And I didn't want my mom, grandpa, or both here when saying about it, that I've been holding it back since you and Donny got here for this. I was hoping that I could talk to all of you, you, Elmer, and Jim I mean, but you can let them know later instead since it's only you and Donny."

"Okay." Roman said. "But where is this going that you don't want your mom and grandpa here to be in on it too?"

"Well, I guess it all comes down to this. Here it goes." Miru said as she mouthed, to her chest, a prayer to God about being with them and getting her through this, real quick.

"What?" Roman and Donny mouthed and looked right at Miru, confused as heck.

"Roman?" Miru asked. "Can we even be friends with each other? You and your whole family I mean? Can we even be friends?"

"Yeah. Of course we can be friends with each other. No matter what." Roman said with a smile and then looked at Miru funny, like he knew why she asked, but still asked her about it anyway. "Why you asking?" 

Miru explained EVERYTHING that was said from the last day 2 weeks ago on up to this day from her mom and beyond. Roman and Donny felt so bad for their new little friend and agreed that her family pretty much is strict, when none of them are like that, all cause of everything that's happened in her life, especially recently.

"My whole family and I may be Amish, but we are human too. And we are just like you are kiddo, good people and everything. Nothing strict or anything. We're just like you. We're one and the same." Roman said.

"Are you just saying that to make me feel better again? Or are you sure? 100%? Telling the truth?" Miru asked.

"I'm telling the truth George. I would never lie to you. And I haven't lied about everything I've told you about all of us. And I wasn't lying just now either. I'm telling the truth." Roman said.

"He is." Donny said. "He's no liar. Good guy."

"So, we can be friends with each other then? No matter what? Forever?" Miru asked.

"Of course." Roman said as Donny took some gear back to the trailer real quick. "Like I said, we're just like you. We're one and the same. Good people. Nothing strict about us or anything. Of course we can be friends with each other. No matter what."

"You really mean it?" Miru asked.

"Yes. Of course." Roman said, and Miru let out a sigh of relief, and was so glad she got through that, and got to keep her new friends forever no matter what, just as they heard a car door close by somewhere, and heard Dottie whining really hard and loud from the porch, as Donny came back to them.

"What in the world is that?" Roman asked.

"Uh, that would be the dog." Miru said trying not to laugh.

"Good grief. Sounds like someone is trying to kill her." Roman said trying not to laugh. 

"Try living with it every day. Especially at this time of the day when that starts. I think my mom came home. That's probably why she's doing it." Miru said.

"Uh oh. You think the boss is home? We're in trouble." Roman giggled.

"She wouldn't be acting like that if it wasn't my mother. So I think she's home. Lucky me." Miru said as Roman continued to laugh.

"That lady that just parked in front of your house and went up to the porch and inside with the crazy dog is your mother?" Donny asked when he got back to them.

"Dark hair, kinda on the heavy side, and currently driving a dark blue Equinox?" Miru asked. "Was she wearing glasses too?"

"I don't know if she was wearing glasses or not, couldn't really tell, but the rest of the descriptions are right." Donny said.

"Yup. That's my mother." Miru said. "We're screwed now."

"Ooooh." Roman said laughing.

"I can hear you guys out there!" Miru's mom hollered as Roman and Donny laughed.

"Craaaaaap!" Miru said and then lowered her voice. "Told ya." 

"Your grandpa is back too." Donny said. 

"Ah maaaaaaaan!!!!" Miru moaned and had them laughing even more.

After a little bit, Miru's grandpa finally left for the day while Miru helped Roman and Donny finish up. After they were done, they took the rest of the gear to the trailer, and went and cleaned up with the soapy water before paying Roman for installing it and parting ways with a new friendship no matter what.

After all that, Miru and Sid got ready to go, and headed for Pittsburgh, getting something to eat for dinner on the way, to get to The Benedum Center for opening night of The Lion King, running through a good bit of the month. They called the theater and told them exactly why Miru was gonna be a little late, so they delayed the opening show until 8pm, if they could make it by then, to have enough time to get her in costume and on stage.

They ran into a bit of traffic the rest of the way, but they managed to get there with about 10-15 minutes or so to spare, and got her ready to be Rafiki.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Miru was ready to be Rafiki. But she was also very nervous too. Once she was in full costume and makeup, she grabbed her stomach, and started rubbing it and breathing funny, like she was gonna be sick, and all of a sudden.

"It's okay sweetie. It's normal to get nervous like this. But you're gonna be fine. You got this." The director of the show said, trying to help Miru.

"You can do it girl!" Everyone else cheered as Miru even gulped really hard in the process of breathing so hard trying to relax, just as they flicked the lights to warn people to take their seats since they were starting in 5 more minutes.

"You've never done something like this have you?" One of the Penguins players kids asked as the director made sure everyone was in their seats and ready to go.

"School class plays and school talent shows, and church plays, but even then with those, I still got nervous doing them. Something like this though, especially one of the little bit bigger roles, never done before. And to make it worse with this one, I was already nervous, but after just getting into costume and makeup, it got worse." Miru said shaking, which they already knew she was doing that.

"1 minute to go. Places everyone." The director said when they came back. 

Miru was still nervous, that Jake tried the orange juice trick with her again, and got her stomach to settle down some, and sent her to the stage.

"We'll be right back here the whole time." The team said.

"Okay. Thanks guys." Miru said with a smile before sighing, seeing Neil Walker and his family weren't there yet. They came in just as Miru turned to start heading for the stage.

"You're here!" Miru and the Penguins squealed.

"We wouldn't miss this for the world." Neil Walker said. "Good Luck out there."

"Thanks guys." Miru smiled as she headed to the stage and took her place. 

The lights dipped and faded to darkness, before the stage was lit to show Miru by Pride Rock, and the show started, with the sun starting to come up from the darkness, and Miru started singing the opening song.

"From the day we arrive on the planet...." Miru sang as the song kept going, and then the rest of the stage was lit. "And blinking step into the sun. There's more to see, than can ever be seen. More to do, than can ever be done. There's far too much, to take in here. More to find, than can ever be found. With the sun rolling high. That sapphire in the sky. It's written small, on the endless round. It's the Circle of Life. And it moves us all. Through despair and hope. Through faith and love. Til we find our place. Over the path unwinding. In the Circle. The Circle of Life." 

The rest of the cast playing all the other animals, Mufasa, Sarabi, and Zazu, all came in during that, and took their places, where they were told to be, when they were rehearsing. Mufasa, Sarabi carrying a lion cub plush, Zazu, and Miru as Rafiki, all moved over to Pride Rock, when everyone else was in their places, and climbed up the steps to the top of it. 

Miru was handed the lion cub plush, before heading up there, and went up first, followed by the others, and she held up the plush and started singing the rest of the song, once she was in the right spot that she was supposed to be.

"It's the Circle of Life. And it moves us all. Through despair and hope. Through faith and love. Til we find our place. Over the path unwinding. In the Circle. The Circle of Life." Miru sang as the song finished and moved into the next scene.

Miru was doing phenomenal in each scene with Rafiki, even if it was small, like in the movie at some parts, as the show continued on. As it got to Simba growing up and meeting Rafiki later on, Miru was afraid she'd mess up the lines and everything, especially since it was a bigger part again, and she was pretty much in every scene til the curtain call at the end of the show, after that as well. She wasn't too bad with the smaller parts in the show, but got worse again the closer it got to all of this.

"You were doing so well kiddo. And you still are." Sid said, trying to calm Miru down.

"I've always gotten nervous with things, including acting/singing, but I always managed to control it." Miru said. "Now I can't seem to because I shake too. My anxiety must be worse than I thought it was, but I'm just now, over these past few years, figuring it out with that, it seems like. And this is the biggest thing ever. And I'm in every scene after this next big one pretty much."

"Wanna try the juice trick again?" Jake asked. "Or water or something?" 

"Just water for now. Thank you." Miru smiled.

Jake got Miru a water bottle and let her sip at it for now, to settle her stomach down, before the scene was ready. When the scene was ready, Miru headed out again for it, and started her lines, starting with the little thing Rafiki sang when running into Simba, and annoying Simba at first.

"Who are you?" Simba asked.

"The question is....Who are you?" Miru as Rafiki said.

"I thought I knew. But now I'm not so sure." Simba said as they continued.

"I'm not the one who's confused, because you don't even know who you are." Miru said.

"Oh and I suppose that you know?" Simba asked.

"Sure do. You're Mufasa's boy Simba." Miru said.

"Wait a minute. You knew my father?" Simba said.

"Um, correction. I know your father." Miru said to the one playing Simba.

"I hate to tell you this, but uh, he died, a long time ago." Simba said.

Miru said her explanation lines and had Simba follow her down to the "water" and told Simba to look down into the water and he would see his father. Simba did as instructed, but only saw his reflection in the water.

"No Simba. Look again. Look harder." Miru said as the song "He Lives in You" started playing and Miru started singing it.

"He lives in you. He lives in me. He watches over. Everything we see. Into the water. Into the truth. In your reflection. He lives in you." Miru sang as the song continued and then finished a few minutes later. "You see? He lives in you."

"Simba?" Mufasa's ghost said. "You have forgotten me?"

"No! How could I?" Simba said.

"You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must go back and take your place in the Circle of Life." Mufasa's ghost said.

"But? Father? How can I go back?" Simba said. "I'm not who I used to be." 

"Just remember who you are. You are my son. And the one true king. Remember who you are." Mufasa's ghost said as it faded away, with Simba upset, but changing, and deciding to go home where he belonged.

Miru walked over to Simba and did her lines, along with smacking Simba with the stick, and encouraged him to return home, which Simba rightfully did. When Nala went and asked Timon and Pumbaa if they had seen Simba, Miru told them that Simba had returned home, and headed off to join in the battle against Scar and the hyenas. Nala explained everything to Timon and Pumbaa, after they got confused for a minute, and then they too, headed back towards Pride Rock to join in the battle as well.

They finally caught up to Simba and saw that he was extremely stunned by the damage that was done in Scar's reign over the years and said they would help him and everything since they were friends. Timon and Pumbaa created a distraction on the hyenas so that Simba and Nala could get through. Once they were past the hyenas, Simba told Nala to find his mom and get everyone ready while he looked for his uncle. Nala agreed and headed off to start getting everyone ready, but she couldn't get to Simba's mother Sarabi in time, since Scar screamed for her to talk to her about dinner.

"Yes Scar?" Sarabi asked real enthused.

"Where is your hunting party?!!!!? They aren't doing their job and neither are you!!!!" Scar snapped.

"Scar there's no food. So I and the herds have moved on." Sarabi replied.

"You're just not looking hard enough!!!!" Scar yelled.

"Scar! It's over! There's nothing left! So we have only one choice here! We must leave Pride Rock and go elsewhere!" Sarabi said.

"We're not going anywhere!" Scar snarled.

"Then you have sentenced us to death!!!!" Sarabi freaked.

"Then so be it!!!!" Scar said.

"You can't do that Scar!!!!" Sarabi yelled.

"Pff I am the king here!!!! So I can do whatever I want to!!!!" Scar snapped and then shrugged.

"If you were half the king Mufasa was..........!!!!!!!" Sarabi snapped before Scar really screamed and then hit her and flung her hard to the point where she was knocked out and hurting a little.

Simba roared and ran down to his mother, and stood by her side for a minute, and shocked everyone at first, starting with thinking he was Mufasa, but then wondering where he had been for years, and how he was even alive. Simba replied that it didn't matter and that he was finally home, before heading toward Scar, ready to attack him at any moment, and asked what he could about everything Scar did over the years, as to why things were the way they were now, and told Scar that he didn't deserve to live cause of it all. 

"The pressures of ruling a kingdom...." Scar tried some more.

"Yeah. They're no longer yours. Step down right now Scar!" Simba said.

"Oh, uh, I would, naturally, but however, there is one little problem there Simba. You see the hyenas? They think I'm king." Scar grinned.

"Yeah? Well we don't!!!!" Nala yelled as she and the other lions helped Sarabi. "Simba is the rightful king!!!!"

"Choice is yours Scar! You either step down or fight for the throne!" Simba said as Scar decided to make it worse, starting with bringing up Mufasa and his death, let alone who was responsible for how it happened. 

Simba did think he was responsible, especially for all these years, until Scar finally confessed while trying to kill his nephew by whispering it in Simba's ear. Simba flung himself as hard as he could, to keep from falling off Pride Rock, after slipping and hanging on so bad as it was, and hit Scar and knocked him on his back, pinning him down in the process.

"Murderer!!!!!!!!!!!!" Simba screamed in Scar's face and stunned everyone.

"No! Simba please!" Scar tried.

"Tell them the truth!!!!!!!!" Simba snapped.

Scar kept trying to play innocent until Simba started choking him. Scar finally confessed again, and the battle got started. The hyenas attacked Simba, Nala, and their friends and family, and helped Scar get a head start on running away. Simba finally got free from the attack, with the help of his friends and family, and went looking around for Scar. Scar turned back at one point, to make sure he wasn't being followed, and saw Simba looking for him, especially when the lightning flashed from the storm, that had also caused a fire around them a few minutes ago. 

Simba roared and ran after Scar again. Scar tried to get away, but because of the fire, and Simba right behind him, he had nowhere to go. Scar tried to play innocent again, but Simba didn't want to hear any more lies, since he and the others had been lied to enough, as he continued to rad Scar out in the process. Scar tried to blame it on the hyenas too, saying it was their idea and fault, when they had only suggested it. The hyenas growled and backed away in the background, and took position to actually help, to attack and get rid of Scar and his reign. 

Simba told Scar to leave and never return, like he had done to him after Mufasa died, the longer they "talked". Scar stood and acted like he was going to, but then threw Simba off, trying to kill his nephew again. Simba finished his uncle off by knocking him off the cliff. As Scar went to get up, he saw he was surrounded by the hyenas, as Simba looked down at the scene below him, and watched what unfolded between them, as the hyenas turned on Scar, and killed him, and then died themselves. The rain finally came pouring down and put out the fire, as Simba, and his family and friends, reunited as one, and Simba took the throne, and everything was restored, as the show ended with the presentation of Simba and Nala's offspring. 

During the curtain call at the end of the show, all the other animals were first, followed by Mufasa, then Scar, then the hyenas, and then Sarabi and the rest of the cast. Miru was told, even during rehearsals, that she could go last at the curtain call, after everyone else had been sent out for theirs and stood back in the line, and headed out last. 

Everyone in the audience applauded the whole cast, but nobody really stood up, let alone as a standing ovation, until Miru came out last for hers. There was just enough light at the curtain call, that when Miru came out last for hers, she realized everyone in the audience was waiting for her, before giving everyone a standing ovation. 

Miru burst into tears instantly after seeing it, when she stood back up from taking a bow for her curtain call, as she backed up into her spot in the line, and they all took a final bow together. The whole cast, the Penguins, and Neil Walker and his family, all realized she was crying and why, and told her it was probably more for her, than it was for all of them, which it was, and even Miru knew it, as they headed off the stage, and got changed and ready to go home.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

A month later, after The Lion King was finally done at The Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, Miru heard that the Koppel Bridge construction, and construction on another bridge not too far from her as well, had been delayed, due to a waterline issue around the Koppel Bridge.

Miru whipped her phone out and turned it on, pulled up Roman's number, and hit the message button to send him a text about it, since he can text too, and cause it ended up being easier for her, cause of what she had been doing that day, so they knew what was going on, in case they were her way with either direction, within at least the next month.

"Update." Miru started the text with, as she punched the text in as fast as she could, and then made a sign off thing, with her name, at the end of the text, so that Roman knew it was her. Miru didn't realize she had her phone on vibrate when she put it back in her purse, so she never really heard her phone go off with something coming in.

When Miru got done with what she had been doing, she pulled her phone back out of her purse, to check what time it was, and to play on it, etc. When Miru clicked on the phone, there was a message on it. Miru tapped it, to let it drop down, and show who it was, and saw it was Roman texting her back, about the construction updates on the bridges.

"That's no good. You behaving?" Roman's text read.

"Yup. Just letting you know about this so you knew about still having to take different routes for awhile longer, in case you were my way with either direction, within at least the next month." Miru texted as quick as she could to answer him.

"Well, I'm working not far from home now for a month, but I was in Pittsburgh today though, and it wasn't fun." Roman sent back.

"Oh. I'm sorry. That sucks." Miru sent back, not knowing what to say, especially after sending that.

Miru thought, about a minute later, asking what happened and if he was okay, since they were all friends, especially now, but then backed out of it, thinking Elmer just gave Roman more heck, to where it ended up as a bad day, and just being slammed with so many jobs after her house, as Miru went back to helping get things done, and then get ready for Thanksgiving.

"You okay?" Sid and Jake asked, when they heard her sigh, as she put her phone back in her purse, and headed out to the rink with them for the home opener.

"Oh. Yeah. Fine. Those bridges near me, that I've told you guys about, even though they've been on the news too, the construction on them got delayed, due to a waterline issue around the Koppel Bridge. I was letting Roman know, in case they were my way, with either direction, within at least the next month, so they knew to take different routes for awhile longer and such, and why, and he responded saying that ain't good." Miru said.

"So what's wrong with that?" The team asked, after the others overheard. "He pretty much said thank you when he said that back."

"I know. Which is fine. And nothing's wrong with it." Miru said. "It's just, when I answered him back, he said that he was gonna be working not far from home now for a month, which is actually perfect in my opinion with this, but also said that he was in Pittsburgh today and that it wasn't fun, and he actually seemed down when I read it and such. Elmer, his father in law, must be giving him heck again or something, and it just turned into a bad day for him apparently."

"Maybe. Cause we all know you didn't do anything. And I'm sure he'd have told you the same thing if you actually had given in and asked if it was you." Sid said. "And you all are friends now, so you know that you guys would say whether it was you or not to each other. Like it was that second to last day for you with your grandpa."

"All true." Miru said and then drew a hard breath.

"So you didn't ask him about the Christmas bulbs, you and your mom made we mean, you didn't ask him about those yet? Have you?" Jake asked.

"No. I didn't." Miru said sighing.

"Sounds like it ain't the right time to do that anyway after that." Sid said.

"Not really." Miru said as the others agreed with her, and then the home opener got rolling. "We don't even have them done yet anyway."

"Got time still." The team said as the national anthem got started, and then the game started.

The whole month of October was crazy for Miru with everything at home and the new hockey season getting started, especially when The Benedum Center kept calling her to do more shows after The Lion King finished a few days ago. Miru said to The Benedum Center, even after the curtain call for the final show of The Lion King, that she would think about it with other shows down the road. 

When Miru finally got to skim through the rest of the schedule for the year, during the game, she saw that one of them was Les Miserables, but only running from the 26th of November, til December 1st, which was fine with her, and was considering auditioning for it, to be Cosette, and cause she liked the show and movie, especially Cosette, Marius, and Jean Valjean in the way of the characters. 

When they said they were starting auditions for Les Miserables, the closer it got to November, and the production coming, they called Miru again for any of the female roles. Miru said she had been thinking about it, and wanted to audition for the role of Cosette. They were thrilled. Miru went to the audition for Cosette and got the role instantly again, and practiced on the porch again when not at rehearsals and such.

Miru and her mom got the Christmas bulbs done in between all of this craziness that was going on for them, and then on November 4th, Miru tried calling Roman, to ask him about any for the kids, even though she planned to give him and his wife one of them too, when she got up to get ready for the cleaning service to come again for their once a month cleaning, and ended up leaving a message on Roman's voicemail. 

When Miru didn't hear anything back, she sent another text to Roman, asking if she did something wrong to where they were mad at her, but forgot to sign it off again at the end of the text to confirm it was just their new little friend.

"Who is this?" Roman asked when texting Miru back about the question.

"Miranda Chewning. George." Miru typed back.

"Oh no. We're never mad at you. Just been busy." Roman said back.

"Oh. Okay. Thanks. Just was curious." Miru typed back, with a smiling emoji, before adding to the text, about the Christmas bulbs. "I was also wondering if the kids would want a Christmas bulb that my mom and I made for people?" 

"They probably would, but I don't know when I could get there to pick them up for them." Roman typed back while she was out running errands. Miru gave him a suggestion when she got home again and checked the texts from him and Red.

"It's okay Roman." Miru said in the text back. "If nothing else, if we can con my mom into bringing me out for the buggy ride offer sometime in the spring, if it still stands, I can hang onto them until then and bring them with me for them." 

"Okay." Roman sent back, confirming the suggestion.

After that, Miru checked the other text from Red. It had something to do with the stuff that had gone on for months with the cyberbullying and Seb, and what was being said about the big split up between Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus. Miru typed back that she agreed with Red and that all of it was pathetic. Miru was just about ready to leave Instagram too, even if she kept her profile going. 

About a week later, eastern Ohio, all the way towards Miru, was supposed to get a BIG cold front, along with AN ICE STORM, with a little bit of snow, especially going into Tuesday. Miru got a text started, to warn her new friends that it was supposed to get bad, and to be careful, but couldn't finish it and get it sent until well into the evening, when her mom went to get a shower.

"Tell Jim he better help get salt preparations for you guys. Supposed to snow and freeze up and get cold over the next few days or so the weather reports are saying. Yippee. Not. Bundle up and be careful. And don't spin the truck. Not a fan of this time of the year cause of the weather we get." Miru texted when she finally could get the text done and sent to warn her new friends. Miru got done later in the evening after that and then went to bed, not thinking anything of it, other than hoping and praying that they would be safe.

Miru always slept in and would get up between 9 and 10am most days, unless she had something going on that she would have to get up earlier. Miru rolled over onto her right side and checked what time it was on her phone, before deciding whether to get up yet or not, and saw that there was a text message on her phone, and it was only 3 minutes to 9am. Miru checked it to see if maybe it was her mom wanting something when she got up, but it wasn't her mom. It was Roman. And she didn't know it came in, cause of having her phone on silent all night, cause her and Red's friends on Instagram were keeping her awake until she put it on silent and fell asleep.

"Thanks for the up date Miranda. My grandpa died a week ago, now my grandma died Sunday night, plus trying to get jobs done its kinda crazy right now." Roman's text said.

"Aww I'm so sorry for your losses. Those are tough.  
If I could magically help, I would. I'm here for you guys." Miru texted back as she teared up a bit.

"So that's why he seemed down. Poor guy. They need a break. Even if just for a little while and on one day. Aww. Know what craziness like this feels like, even if not in a week of each other. Aww." Miru said to herself as Sid came in and noticed something was up, especially when she came downstairs and dug around for a sympathy card, but couldn't find any around where her mom kept Christmas cards.

"Your Christmas card for Roman and his family is over here on top of your bin Miru." Sid said and pointed to her bin she had it laying on top of at the moment.

"I know that. And that's not what I'm looking for Sid. I'm actually looking for a sympathy card." Miru said sighing.

"Who passed away?" Sid asked, but before he could ask more about it, Miru pulled her phone back out and pulled up Roman's text from a couple hours ago.

"Great. There's no sympathy cards here. Now I'm gonna get asked, especially with how I even found out. Ugh." Miru sighed as she called up to her grandparents house. Her grandma answered on the 3rd or 4th ring. "Do you guys have sympathy cards up there?"

"Yeah. Why? Who died?" Miru's grandma asked.

"Roman's grandparents." Miru sighed while cringing, knowing what was coming. 

Sure enough, she was asked how she even found out about it, and everything else like always. Miru was still able to get the sympathy card and fill it out when she got it back to her house with it.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Miru got the sympathy card, for Roman and his family, filled out pretty quickly, and took it down the driveway and put it in her mailbox, to send her sympathies to them, say that she felt bad and was there for them, and that she thought they could use a well deserved break, even if just for one day/a few hours or so. So she even offered them, if they could get some kind of free time, and it snowed enough, to come over with the kids, and she would get the two sleds out of her garage, and take them sledding in her yard, and that it was her treat.

Two days later, Miru had to go somewhere for a little bit, and said that she got the sympathy card sent out in the mail to Roman and his family, and read off the messages, to make it easier for her to say about it, but that she never asked what happened to his grandparents, as to why so sudden, and within a week of each other like that. As she went to scroll to his message about his grandparents, she got her thumb too close to the "thumbs up" emoji, and accidentally bumped it and sent it to him. Miru and her therapist started laughing and joking about it, and both of them agreed that they don't like the touchscreen part with their phones cause of it being too touchy/sensitive.

When Miru got home, she sent another text to Roman, apologizing for doing that, since she wasn't planning to send anything else for the time being, but bumped that by accident anyway.

"That text wasn't supposed to be sent. I accidentally bumped it by accident when I put my fingers by it. Sorry. My bad. Didn't mean to do that. Touch screen hates me. -Miranda Chewning". Miru sent to Roman.

A little bit later, Miru's text/notification tone went off. Miru checked it, and saw it was Roman, thanking her for the sympathy card.

"Thanks for the card." Roman said back.

"Oh you're welcome. No problem. My aunt and grandparents feel bad too. They were the only ones that had the sympathy cards." Miru texted back. She thought again after that, asking if he and his family were okay, but then backed out of it again, not knowing what to do.

Saturday of that week, Miru woke up not feeling good. She had been to the chiropractor Wednesday evening of the week, and had been feeling pretty good, and then this. She thought at first that maybe she just laid wrong and popped something back out in her back.

When Miru got worse, especially the next day, she ended up at the clinic in her town, and was told it was a urinary tract infection. Miru didn't think it was that, but did what she had to do to recover, and was feeling pretty good again. Then one day the next week, Miru didn't feel good again, and it was the same symptoms as before. 

Miru went to the chiropractor and felt better again after that, and thought she was totally fine now, and managed to get through Les Miserables after that, without an issue at all, and let Roman know that the kids, and him and his wife, even though she didn't tell him that part, probably weren't gonna get any of the Christmas bulbs that she and her mom made, cause her mom gave her grandparents and aunts one of the 4 she needed, and her mom said she might need the last 3 as well for a few others at work, that would've been for the kids, and said that she could try to get them something else, and that there are tons of craft ideas, in between it all. Roman said it was okay. Then she and her mom had a dead mouse in their basement Thanksgiving night. 

But then on December 3rd, it happened all over again, being sick and not feeling good, but Miru couldn't throw up, like she was hoping for cause of how miserable she was. Miru's mom called off work that day, and took her to the emergency room in a town a good few minutes away, cause their town's hospital had shut down. While there being checked out and taken care of, they found out that Miru had a 3 millimeter kidney stone, and for all this time too, that was causing the problem. But nobody really knew where it came from, let alone how she could've even got it. 

Miru had been hoping to go to Dollar Tree, to see if she could get, hopefully, some kind of ceramic art kits, or some kind of craft idea, that would be easy, and not take her long to do, since she couldn't do the Christmas bulbs, for Roman and his family, and maybe a toy for their dog too, to send with the Christmas card she had planned to send anyway, along with something for her neighbor Tom as well, but now she wasn't sure, thanks to this, and still hurting and not feeling good from it. Plus she was still helping get ready for Christmas too, or at least try to, with what she could cause of it. 

Miru was so wound and stressed out with not feeling good from it, and being on so many meds for it, and not being able to help much, at least at first, with getting ready for Christmas now, to the point where she couldn't help being grouchy. She was exhausted, even after slowly starting to feel better.

Saturday December 7th of the year, Miru and her mom's dog Dottie had to go to the dog spa for a bath, brushout, etc, which was good since they had a couple things to do before going to her grandparents house to set up their Christmas village for them, and a couple of them had to do with using their hammer, to put things on a couple woodworks in the house, back in place. Miru was feeling good enough that she put the place in the floor back together, while her mom did the spot on the railing at the top of the stairs. 

After everything was done, Miru and her mom ate lunch and did the dishes real quick, before heading to her grandparents house, to set up their Christmas village for them. When they got there, they saw that there were other decorations, that they planned to put out too, after the village was done being set up, and that they found a few things, that they planned to get rid of as well, that they had for years, most from deceased family members, and had no use and such for, especially anymore.

One of them was a little nativity set from one of her deceased family members, who had an awful lot of stuff, that most of what everyone had for years, had come from. They wondered if Miru, not only would check it out, but if she would also want it, especially since she always loved nativity scene stuff, depending on how it was made.

While waiting for the furniture to be moved over so the Christmas village could be set up, Miru went back into her grandparents kitchen to the kitchen table to check out the nativity set. Miru wasn't sure at first, mainly cause of the one piece to it, but eventually decided to take it home with her, and put it out on her other dresser, since it was small, and everything else was already set out in their places, as she and her mom set up her grandparents Christmas village.

When Miru and her mom got home with Dottie, Miru's mom had to go out to pick up more things for her fingers/hands, cause of treatment for warts, while Miru went up to her room and took the stuff off her other dresser, for the time being, to see how much room she really needed for her new old small nativity set, and how she wanted to set it up, and then pulled out the nativity set from the bag and packed the stuff from her other dresser in it, at least for now, until it was done being set up.

While packing the stuff from her other dresser in the bag for the time being, until Christmas was over, she packed her Precious Moments First Birthday figurine into a little sandwich bag, that had the little angel in it, along with her small snow globe from Living Treasures, out towards Butler, with a tiger in it, together, while just setting the rest of the stuff in the bag around them. When Miru opened her closet door, and lifted the bag of stuff to move it in there, on top of bins full of pictures, for the time being, the stuff shifted on her in the bag, and she thought she heard something from the stuff break, but wasn't sure. She sat the bag back down on her bed and opened it up, and dug all around and checked everything. All of it was fine, thankfully, except for the Precious Moments First Birthday figurine and the little snow globe from Living Treasures.

Miru yanked the sandwich bag, with those in it, out gently, in case of mess, and to keep from clanking them against each other again, and checked them, mainly the little snow globe. The snow globe was fine and not leaking water, so Miru pulled out the figurine and checked it. Everything on the figurine was also fine, like everything else thankfully was, except for a very small and flimsy part on the figurine, that didn't bother her too much if it ever did get broke off, which she waited years for it to happen. She broke the little birthday candle off, from the little cake that sat in front of the child on the figurine. Miru got a little upset with herself at first and thought she might cry, as she double checked the figurine and snow globe to make sure everything else was fine on them, which they were, and felt better about it and wasn't worried about the candle not being glued back on and fixed.

Miru finally found the candle and just threw it in her trash can, and got the stuff put in her closet, except for the snow globe, and started setting up the nativity set. Once she got the stable in place, she moved the pieces around to see where she was gonna want them sat in and around the stable, and realized she was gonna need to get a thumb tack or hammer in a nail, to hang the angel, cause of the way it was made, before she could really start. Miru went back downstairs to the kitchen and dug all around in the glass jar, with paper clips in it, for a thumb tack, but couldn't find a thumb tack. So she put the lid on the jar and lifted it to the light to look at the bottom of the jar, and see if there was maybe a nail in there to use on the stable, and hammer it into the top of the stable somewhere. Miru saw a nail and got back into the jar and dug all around again until she got the nail, and then went to the basement to get the hammer, and then headed back to her room.

Miru laid the hammer down on her bed and then grabbed the stable and laid it down on her bed, and held onto it, while seeing if she could twist the nail into the stable enough that she couldn't get it back out, so she would only have a little hole in the top of the stable, and not damage it. Miru held the stable so it wouldn't move and twisted the nail around the top of the stable where she wanted it, and made the little hole, and then got the nail stuck in it like she wanted, and grabbed the hammer, and began pounding it in place, before realizing it wasn't straight in the little hole. Miru pulled the nail back out with the hammer, eyed the nail up to the hole, and tried again, and got it straight this time, and started pounding it back in place.

After the stable was ready to go, Miru laid the hammer back down on her bed and then put the stable back on the dresser and moved it around til it was where she wanted it. Then she grabbed the angel and hung it on the nail first, before arranging the rest of the pieces around to where she wanted them. Miru tried doing like they can with the other nativity sets with the animals around Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus, but decided against it, since there wasn't much room in this stable to do that, and just put Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in the stable. There was a smaller end on the stable too that she put the little lamb in as well, but it was all she could get into the stable, which was fine with her, especially the more she worked at it, and then found little ledges on both sides of the stable, at the edges of the base built on the bottom of it to set it down and hold it up, and put the cow and donkey on either side on them. 

Miru was liking how she got her new old small nativity set sat out on her other dresser, as she sat the rest in front of the stable with their backs facing her, so they were looking at the baby Jesus, and then took a picture of it all set up to show her grandma, before taking the hammer back to the basement and helping out her mom the rest of the day with what she could. The next day, Miru, her family, and her mom's friend Pam, were going to the playhouse in a town north of Miru to see the musical production of Mama Mia in the afternoon. At one point, just before they left for the show, Miru thought she had finally passed her kidney stone, but wasn't sure, mainly because she was feeling totally fine and not hurting, even then, and felt totally fine since.

During intermission at the show, Pam said that she had almost forgot to mention that she saw on Facebook from Miru's neighbor Tom's wife that Tom had a big brain tumor removed at some point. Miru and her mom were shocked and worried, especially since he was supposed to be staining their new porch and back steps for them sometime in maybe the spring. Miru got her Christmas card for Roman and his family filled out and sent the next day, while their new cleaning lady from the cleaning service came and worked, and told her all about her summer as much as she could each and every time she was to come and did come and clean. In between, Miru also kept in touch with Roman here and there as much as she could too. 

At one point, later in the month, Miru and her mom heard from Miru's grandparents that their neighbor Tom had come over to visit them, and said that cause of his current health, that he wasn't gonna paint and stain anymore, but felt so bad about it. 

"I don't know what we're gonna do now, let alone who to get to do it now." Miru's mom said as she told her what was going on. "I guess it's just gonna have to stay that way and rot and then have Roman come back and fix it everytime it does."

Miru thought of a good idea that night, but didn't say anything cause it's hers and Roman and his family's friendship/thing, with staying in touch and everything else, and also to keep from getting something started, but thought about maybe trying to somehow get ahold of Roman, and ask about his aunt, since she painted houses too. Miru jumped on her phone, while her mom went to the basement later, and asked Roman about his aunt, that he would find in the morning. Miru got up the next day, waiting to see if she could do something good and make her family realize that she's a good person and can be trusted and everything else, and went to dry her hands off from washing them when her phone beeped.

Miru checked it and started laughing instantly, and was even doubled over, with her eyes watering in the process. It was Roman answering her back, saying that they FINALLY got to go across the new Koppel bridge.

"That's not what I said about to you last night but okay." Miru said out loud to herself as she continued to laugh and answered her friend. "LOL, you like that huh?"

"Yes. In Ellwood today looking at 2 decks." Roman answered back.

"Yikes." Miru said, and then tried asking him again about his aunt for the staining, but explained what was going on in the process this time, to make it a little easier, and so he realized something was up as to why she was looking and asking him first. "But since I don't have your aunt's info, I thought ask you and see if you knew. If she doesn't, do you maybe know of anybody? If not, it's okay, I'll keep looking."

"Yes. Sorry about your neighbor Tom. And it's okay. That's fine asking me. Actually, my sister does staining. I'll ask her for ya." Roman replied. 

"Yes!!!!" Miru said in excitement as she answered him back and jumped around a bit. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You and your family are lifesavers!!!!"

Miru ended up trying to contact Roman somehow just about every day after that, mainly to try to find out if she got his sister for the staining, but also to make sure he and everyone else were alright, especially when she started to hardly hear from him after that. Her first thought was that something happened to where she kept thinking everybody in Roman's family, including Roman himself, were mad at her that it was going like this now, or that something happened to Roman, or both.

Roman said that he and everyone and everything else were okay, and that nobody in his family, including himself, were ever mad at her, and really liked her for the person she was, especially with worrying about them, and even said that his sister told him she'd do the staining, and to let him know when they wanted it done, so they could plan it around the weather, to bring her over to Ellwood with them, to check it out, and give them a price to pay for it to be done, when everyone was ready to do it.

Miru was still scared and unsure, especially when she really didn't hear anything since the end of December, and ended up trying to apologize for just being their friend, after all this, starting with leaving a message on Roman's voicemail, but then eventually making an apology note and sending it out in the mail, with her address, even though Roman already knew her address, and her cell phone number, so Roman especially, still had her number, but to also get ahold of her for anything as well, and just sat and waited so nervously, that she hadn't been feeling good again, even though she was healthy.

She never had Amish friends before, and she didn't ever want to lose them. She even at one point offered to help them on jobs if she got her driver's license, to continue the friendship, but to also help them in return, which Roman especially seemed to be okay with. So when this happened, she wanted to know what the deal was, and to let them know that she really was sorry, in case the issue was with her. She waited impatiently for 4 days straight, worried sick.

The 14th of January, Miru got up like always, but forgot to turn her ringtone back on, from vibrate during the night, but kept going like any normal day with her daily routine. After breakfast and taking her allergy medicines and doing a couple other quick things, Miru sat down and turned on one of her recorded movies on the television. She decided on the Marvel superhero movie Antman and started watching. When it got halfway through the recorded movie, to Miru's favorite part, Miru started hearing what she thought was a buzzing sound of a fly or some insect flying in the house. Miru paused the movie and started looking around the room and listening, before realizing that it was actually her phone ringing beside her, but was still on vibrate instead of the ringtone, and not being used to it being on vibrate anymore.

Miru grabbed her phone and flipped it over trying to hurry and answer it, let alone see who it was, but the person had just hung up when she did, so it came up missed call instead. Miru about had a heart attack and about swore when she saw who tried to call her. 


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Miru was still in shock, and just stared at her phone for a few minutes, still breathing very hard in the process. The person that tried calling her was Roman. She couldn't believe it. Miru tried swiping the missed call off of her phone and then go in through her contacts list to try calling him back in a little bit, but bumped the missed call instead on the swipe, and had to trace her pattern lock to unlock the phone. She hoped she hadn't bumped the missed call on the swipe, but when her phone got unlocked and pulled up the phone call privilege in the process, it pulled up him as well, and started to ring back to his phone to call him back.

"Oh shit!" Miru said, first when she saw the missed call, and now this, as it started to ring back to his phone to call him back. Miru put her phone up to her ear and started getting VERY nervous as it went to ring in for a third time.

"Hello?" Roman answered on the third ring.

"Hello." Miru said back.

"Hello, Miranda?" Roman asked.

"Yeah. Um, my phone says that you just tried calling me?" Miru said.

"Yeah I did." Roman said.

"Sorry. My phone was on, but STUPID ME forgot to turn the ringtone back on this morning. I put it on vibrate at night and turn the ringtone back on during the day, so I'm not as used to the vibrate much anymore, but I forgot to turn the ringtone back on. What's worse is that it was sitting right beside me too. Sorry. My bad." Miru said cringing and laughing.

"Oh it happens. It's okay." Roman said. "I was basically just gonna let you know that we got your note. Actually, we literally just found it, believe it or not. But while you were obviously trying to figure out what was vibrating, I realized I couldn't leave a voicemail after it ran its ringing cycle, so I just hung up, and figured you'd find out at some point, and call back as quick as possible, like you just did."

"Yeah. My voicemail isn't set up, let alone yet anyway. That's why. And I usually answer if it's with me like this anyway, if it's someone in my contacts that is. If not, I call back, usually as soon as I find it. If it's a number not in my contacts, that I also don't recognize, then it gets ignored altogether. If I had realized sooner that it was my phone, I would've answered and not put you through that." Miru said.

"It's okay. Your phone and how you work with it most of the time. Just was trying to get ahold of you about the note was all." Roman said. "We literally did just find it."

"Oh?" Miru said spooked and then cringed. "And? What happened? What did I do wrong? Tell me right now. I would like to know what's going on. What did I do?"

"You didn't do anything wrong. Nobody's mad at you, and neither am I. We're never mad at you. We like you, we're all friends, especially now, etc, so it's okay. Never mad at you, ever." Roman said.

"Are you sure?" Miru asked, still scared.

"We're never mad at you. I promise." Roman said.

"Oh, I thought you guys were, especially when I was hardly hearing anything. I thought I did something wrong. That's why I ended up doing that." Miru said relieved.

"It's okay. Nothing's wrong, even with you. Just been busy and such. You been behaving?" Roman said, while picking on Miru as usual, especially cause she'd pick back. Sure enough, Miru got him back.

"Been helping my mom out as much as possible a lot lately. And I behave 24/7 thank you very much, it's the dog that doesn't. YOU on the other hand don't behave at all." Miru smirked back as they both giggled.

"Woah! What? Hey! Wait a minute! I behave all the time! I'm even behaving right now!" Roman said.

"Mm-hmm. Yeah right." Miru laughed.

"What you trying to say? Huh? I just spoke the truth." Roman said.

"Sure." Miru laughed. "I also put on that with your sister and her doing the staining...."

"Yeah she said she'll do it for ya. Sometime in the spring right?" Roman replied.

"Last I heard about it getting done, when Tom was supposed to be doing it anyway, but since he's not now, that's why I got ahold of you to find someone else and got her, but it's okay with me if it ends up being in the summer again for when she's able to do it, cause there's no race to have it done for us, and also cause we still need a price before we can even have it done anyway, and I plan to save up the money for us to have it done, since this was my idea anyway. So there's no race to have it done. Who knows if it's even ready yet anyway." Miru answered.

"You sure?" Roman asked.

"Yup." Miru said. "Everything I just said. Just need a price so I can start saving the money for us. But you have til the end of February to get her over here, like I told you in the note. And I mean it."

"She's actually here helping me out today too." Roman giggled.

"Oh?" Miru laughed.

"Yeah she's here with me." Roman said enthusiastically while laughing, and had Miru doubled over laughing really hard.

"You're bad!!!!" Miru said still laughing.

"I know." Roman giggled.

"So she's at least heard this whole conversation right?" Miru asked.

"Well, I don't know about the whole conversation, but maybe her part in it." Roman laughed. "Same on the others."

"Oh Lord." Miru laughed as she put her hand to her face as Roman laughed too.

"You don't know if any of it is ready anyway?" Roman asked. "What do you mean? Like...."

"Well like, it rains, or snows and then the snow melts, and unless the wind blows to where it may get wet a bit more on the porch somewhere, otherwise, the entire porch has been staying dry and not wet, but the porch steps area will be soaked with this weather, and the back steps constantly get wet or soaked no matter what it seems like, and we even have to throw salt on those ones at times cause of the cold wet weather too." Miru explained.

"Oh, one of those issues huh? Like one part might be ready but you can't get the others to dry out enough?" Roman asked, sounding like he knew what she meant now and what it feels like.

"Bingo!" Miru said. "You got it! So who knows if it's even ready yet anyway. Part of the reason why I said that. And whenever you guys can get here too, let alone get it done, of course. So there's no race. But you have til the end of February to get her over to Ellwood for a bid. I mean it!" 

"Yeah we're waiting for the weather to cooperate enough for that." Roman said.

"It's fine. I wish it would too. This weather we've been having is ridiculous. My mom and I have been saying with every weather forecast for it to make up it's mind and cooperate." Miru said.

"Same here." Roman giggled.

"Still got til the end of February." Miru said sarcastically, still getting him.

"Oh come on!" Roman said. "What if the weather is still a pain by then?" 

"Fine!" Miru said back, still sarcastic. "You got the whole month of March too!"

"Oh come on!" Roman said. "What if March is bad too?" 

"Not my problem. Work it out with your sister." Miru said laughing a little. "Work on my house, you go by my rules in the process of everything else. How it works. My house, my rules."

"Come on!!!!" Roman said.

"Sorry." Miru laughed. "That's how it works. That's the deal, even with friendship. She's gonna LOVE doing the porch though, I can tell you that."

"How's your grandpa doing?" Roman asked.

"We're all doing okay. Seeing my grandpa's sister and some of her family tonight at my grandpa's house. Supposed to be anyway." Miru answered.

"That's good." Roman said.

"Yeah. Your sister is gonna LOVE doing the porch, like I said." Miru giggled.

"What do you mean?" Roman said. "She'll be fine."

"The furniture for it is finally out there." Miru said enthusiastically while laughing.

"Oh is it?" Roman asked. "Finally?"

"Yup." Miru said. "Literally a week to the day that you were here last, we finally got the call about it, and then Saturday of that week we had it delivered. Then my grandparents got theirs the following week." 

"At least you guys finally got it." Roman chuckled.

"Yeah. Kinda what I thought too. It's out there now. She's gonna LOVE that." Miru said.

"Oh she'll be fine. She can work around it." Roman said.

"Oh I'll gladly help her get it moved around wherever she wants to move it to when doing it, that's not an issue. Bench is awkward anyway. Don't want her moving that by herself. Just gotta let me know is all. Same for backup if she happened to need it too for whatever reason. I'll be here probably. I'll help her with whatever she needs like I did and still will for everybody else. But she's not moving the furniture by herself, especially where the bench is concerned. Can tell her that right now." Miru said. "Just throwing that out there."

"Okay. That works. Not a problem. That's fine. She'd appreciate at least that too." Roman said. "Such a good girl."

"I was raised right, even with lots of tough days, I was raised right." Miru said.

"Yes you were. Now it's time to get back to work." Roman said.

"Good luck. And be careful!!!!" Miru said. "And behave while you're at it!!!!" 

"I will. You too." Roman said. "Bye." 

"Thanks for everything Roman." Miru said. "Bye."

"No problem. Bye." Roman said as the call ended.

Miru turned around and took care of Dottie, and got lunch, before sitting back down in the chair, and turning on the rest of the movie. Sid was with her all day, and happened to record the whole phone conversation with Roman, when Miru called back, on his phone, to send out to everyone with the team, to let them know Miru heard from Roman.

"Sid, you caught the whole thing on your phone, didn't you?" Miru asked after talking to Roman.

"Yup. Sending it out to the team now, so that they knew you finally heard from Roman and that everyone in his family, him included, are never mad at you and such, and giving them a timeframe for the staining." Sid said.

"Fine with me. Easier, even for the team, anyway. Just as long as none of this gets mentioned to/around my family, because this is our friendship/thing, no matter how we do it, and I really would like to keep it that way, along with keeping my family off my case about it, cause, you know, and like I just said, our friendship/thing, no matter how we do it. And I would like to keep his sister for the staining as a surprise until they come as well." Miru said.

"I know. And we won't say anything to/around your family. You know we wouldn't do/say anything to anyone else. It's fine. And we'll keep her as a surprise. You have our word in all of this. Promise." Sid said as he rubbed Miru's hand and wrist. "You're not gonna be at the game tonight then, for my first game back since this core muscle problem I had, where I eventually needed surgery, that you've been helping me out with as well as much as possible too? You're not gonna be there tonight?" Sid asked.

"I'm sorry Sid. I know and understand you want me to be there and how much it means to you for me to be there. Rest of the team too. And I know it's in Pittsburgh tonight, so that helps, but this family gathering has not only always been a tradition, but it was also already planned a couple weeks ago or whatever. And it may be the last time I see this uncle alive, even for just something like this. He's had the cancer for a long time, even before my toddler cousin came along. And we're still somewhat close as can be with this half of the family. And they always liked/loved me, and I was always the same with them. I have to be at this get together at my grandpa's house tonight. I'm sorry." Miru said.

"It's okay." Sid said, settling Miru down again. "I understand. And it's been tough. Just didn't know when it was scheduled was all. Team too."

"Thank you for caring and understanding Sid. I'm sure the team is the same way. Just let them know as soon as you get to the arena, especially if they ask, when you get to the locker room without me, so that they know what's up. Think you can do that?" Miru said.

"Of course." Sid said.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Sid and Miru finished watching Antman after all that. As soon as the movie was over, Miru went and did up the dishes, before crashing in the living room again with one of the other recorded movies on the television, before having to go up the street to her grandparents house for the family get together. Sid helped Miru get Dottie taken care of and locked up in the crate, before parting ways for the day.

"Good luck tonight. Let's go Pens." Miru told Sid as they headed outside.

"Thanks kiddo. Have a good time with your family tonight." Sid replied.

"Mm." Miru said as they headed the opposite directions from each other.

Miru went into her grandparents house and hung out until her mom and grandpa got back with the pizza they ordered for dinner. As they all just finished eating, Miru's aunt, uncle, and 3 of her cousins came for the get together. Miru went over to her grandparents rocking chair so there were places for them to sit, while her mom and grandpa got chairs from the dining room table to sit on, and let her uncle sit down in her grandpa's lift chair beside her. Her uncle didn't look good and could barely breath and/or talk with as sick as he was from the cancer and having it for so long, as she basically ended up watching her toddler cousin while everyone caught up with each other the whole time.

At one point, Miru's mom had said some about the work on the house and who did it for them, and her cousins said that they saw the pictures from Facebook, cause the one had a Facebook and showed them when seeing them, and about needing to find someone else for the staining now.

"I got someone else for the staining now Mom. It was just confirmed today. Calm down." Miru said to herself, that only she heard thankfully.

After the long get together was finally over, Miru and her family said their goodbyes to each other. Her toddler cousin, named Cole, said goodbye to her first, and needed/wanted her help with getting his little winter coat zipped up, and then a big hug between them.

"I love you Cole." Miru said before hugging and saying goodbye to the rest of them.

Miru still had tough days here and there as January finished out and headed into February, but fought through them as much as possible, even with Sid and the team helping her out with it all as well, especially with defending her. Last day of January, Miru and her mom went to the grocery store, and went to the hot dog shop for dinner after stopping at the bank first. While at dinner, Miru's mom had brought up about the upcoming spring/summer with their next house projects, starting with the staining, and about having Miru maybe paying for at least the concrete work for them.

Miru couldn't remember how it all got brought up, other than something about money to begin with, but said that she could save up and pay for the staining too. Miru's mom said that was fine, but that they would have to see on that as well, but had to find someone else for the staining first. Miru sighed and got funny.

"What?" Miru's mom asked.

"Huh? Oh nothing!" Miru said, still looking and acting funny after sighing.

"No! What? What's the matter?" Miru's mom asked. Miru sighed again.

"Well, I kinda already did find us a new stainer." Miru cringed.

"Oh?" Miru's mom asked a little shocked.

"It's Roman's sister." Miru replied.

"Oh!" Miru's mom said, still shocked, but surprisingly not mad at Miru. "How did you do that?"

"The day after we found out about Tom not doing it and painting anymore, when I got up, I called Roman and asked him about his aunt, since he said she paints houses, to see if maybe she did staining too, and explained what was going on in the process, so he knew why I was even asking for starters. He was like "Oh my", and said that his aunt doesn't stain, but that his sister does, and that he would ask her for me, when he saw her, and see, and let me know. And then it was confirmed on the day of the family get together. But the reason why I didn't say anything, until just now, is because, she was supposed to be a surprise whenever they came." Miru explained.

"Oh!" Miru's mom said. "Did you let Ma and them know about this so that they know what's going on?"

"No. Not yet." Miru said. "What part of "she was supposed to be a surprise whenever they came" did you not get?"

"Better let them know pretty soon." Miru's mom said.

"I will." Miru said. Miru let her grandparents know about it the following week.

Her grandparents were shocked too, but surprisingly not mad either. At one point, Miru's grandpa laughed at her and made fun of her about it, mainly because she still didn't have a bid for it yet, even though she and Roman confirmed that it was gonna be his sister.

"How do you know for sure that you even got her for it? You don't even have a bid for it yet." Miru's grandpa laughed at her.

"Gary!" Miru's grandma said. "She just said that they're waiting for the weather to cooperate enough to even get her over here for a bid for it!" 

"Duuuuuuuuuuuh!!!!!! What she said! Thank you Ma!" Miru said.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh!!!!" Miru's grandpa said. "I didn't hear that part. I'm sorry."

"Well, turn the television down, turn up your hearing aids, and pay attention next time, and maybe you will hear everything for once." Miru said as her grandma sat there and laughed.

"She's actually got a point!" Miru's grandma laughed.

"Shut up, both of you!" Miru's grandpa said.

"Well?" Miru and her grandma said. "Truth be told."

"We still need someone to do our new steps out back too." Miru's grandma said.

"Well, I can ask her when they come. He's supposed to let me know when they're coming anyway. And I was gonna call up here and see about it for you guys as well too when they came. So I could ask her for ya and see and even bring her up to talk to you guys when they come." Miru said.

Miru's grandma liked that, but her grandpa said to just let them know when they were coming so that he could come down to her house and talk to them instead. Miru just rolled her eyes and shook her head when he wasn't looking. Miru's grandma giggled at her a little bit.

The following weeks were still tough here and there, as Miru continued to help her mom as much as she could every day, while also helping her team, especially with everyone that was out with injuries, mainly Jake Guentzel. Miru was tired, but still fought through them as much as possible, with her team's help. Miru also had updates each and every day about her uncle and the family as well. Her uncle wasn't gonna last much longer. 

On the 25th of February, Miru was doing a couple things and trying to get awake. When she went to get her allergy medicine, her mom texted her the bad news. Her uncle had just passed a couple minutes ago. The funeral arrangements weren't until the weekend, that thankfully the house cleaning got scheduled for March 2nd. Friday was the longest day, but Saturday turned out to be just as long, as everyone said farewell to Miru's uncle. The team gave Miru the rest of the week, and the entire following week off, cause of it, and then getting sick with a bad cold, that she was just slowly getting over finally, as the weather started to get nice for once, to where Miru even went out on her new porch a few times since winter kicked off.


End file.
